Antisense modulation of zinc finger protein-217 expression

ABSTRACT

Antisense compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of zinc finger protein-217. The compositions comprise antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding zinc finger protein-217. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of zinc finger protein-217 expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of zinc finger protein-217 are provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulatingthe expression of zinc finger protein-217. In particular, this inventionrelates to antisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides,specifically hybridizable with nucleic acids encoding zinc fingerprotein-217. Such oligonucleotides have been shown to modulate theexpression of zinc finger protein-217.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Transcription factors represent a group of molecules within the cellthat function to connect extracellular signals to intracellularresponses. Immediately after an environmental stimulus, these proteinswhich reside predominantly in the cytosol are translocated to thenucleus where they bind to specific DNA sequences in the promoterelements of target genes and activate the transcription of these targetgenes.

Overexpression or genomic amplification of transcription factor genescan lead to aberrant regulation of cellular processes and consequentlyto pathologic phenotypes. Studies using comparative genomichybridization have revealed a number of chromosomal regions of recurrentamplification of copy number in breast tumors while other studies havedetected amplification events associated with cancers of the ovary,colon, head and neck, brain and pancreas (Isola et al., Am. J. Pathol.,1995, 147, 905-911; Kallioniemi et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.,1994, 91, 2156-2160; Kallioniemi et al., Genes Chromosomes Cancer, 1994,10, 231-243)

Zinc finger protein-217 (also known as ZNF217 and ZABC1) was recentlyidentified as a potential transcription factor that is located in agenomic region of recurrent amplification on chromosome 20q13.2 (Collinset al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1998, 95, 8703-8708).Amplification in this chromosomal region has been shown to occur in avariety of tumor types and has been associated with aggressive tumorbehavior, especially in invasive breast cancers (Tanner et al., Clin.Cancer Res., 1995, 1, 1455-1461).

Characterization of the protein revealed that zinc finger protein-217encodes an alternatively spliced protein of either 1062 or 1108 aminoacids and contains eight C2H2 zinc finger Kruppel-like DNA-bindingmotifs. Kruppel-like transcription factors have been implicated inseveral human malignancies. In addition, the protein contains a prolinerich domain and these have been shown to function as transcriptionalactivators (Collins et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1998, 95,8703-8708).

The pharmacological modulation of zinc finger protein-217 activityand/or expression is therefore believed to be an appropriate point oftherapeutic intervention in pathological conditions. Currently, thereare no known therapeutic agents which effectively inhibit the synthesisof zinc finger protein-217 and consequently there remains a long feltneed for these agents.

Antisense technology is emerging as an effective means for reducing theexpression of specific gene products and may therefore prove to beuniquely useful in a number of therapeutic, diagnostic, and researchapplications for the modulation of zinc finger protein-217 expression.

The present invention provides compositions and methods for modulatingzinc finger protein-217 expression, including modulation of thealternatively spliced form of zinc finger protein-217.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to antisense compounds, particularlyoligonucleotides, which are targeted to a nucleic acid encoding zincfinger protein-217, and which modulate the expression of zinc fingerprotein-217. Pharmaceutical and other compositions comprising theantisense compounds of the invention are also provided. Further providedare methods of modulating the expression of zinc finger protein-217 incells or tissues comprising contacting said cells or tissues with one ormore of the antisense compounds or compositions of the invention.Further provided are methods of treating an animal, particularly ahuman, suspected of having or being prone to a disease or conditionassociated with expression of zinc finger protein-217 by administering atherapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of one or more ofthe antisense compounds or compositions of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention employs oligomeric antisense compounds,particularly oligonucleotides, for use in modulating the function ofnucleic acid molecules encoding zinc finger protein-217, ultimatelymodulating the amount of zinc finger protein-217 produced. This isaccomplished by providing antisense compounds which specificallyhybridize with one or more nucleic acids encoding zinc fingerprotein-217. As used herein, the terms “target nucleic acid” and“nucleic acid encoding zinc finger protein-217” encompass DNA encodingzinc finger protein-217, RNA (including pre-mRNA and mRNA) transcribedfrom such DNA, and also cDNA derived from such RNA. The specifichybridization of an oligomeric compound with its target nucleic acidinterferes with the normal function of the nucleic acid. This modulationof function of a target nucleic acid by compounds which specificallyhybridize to it is generally referred to as “antisense”. The functionsof DNA to be interfered with include replication and transcription. Thefunctions of RNA to be interfered with include all vital functions suchas, for example, translocation of the RNA to the site of proteintranslation, translation of protein from the RNA, splicing of the RNA toyield one or more mRNA species, and catalytic activity which may beengaged in or facilitated by the RNA. The overall effect of suchinterference with target nucleic acid function is modulation of theexpression of zinc finger protein-217. In the context of the presentinvention, “modulation” means either an increase (stimulation) or adecrease (inhibition) in the expression of a gene. In the context of thepresent invention, inhibition is the preferred form of modulation ofgene expression and mRNA is a preferred target.

It is preferred to target specific nucleic acids for antisense.“Targeting” an antisense compound to a particular nucleic acid, in thecontext of this invention, is a multistep process. The process usuallybegins with the identification of a nucleic acid sequence whose functionis to be modulated. This may be, for example, a cellular gene (or mRNAtranscribed from the gene) whose expression is associated with aparticular disorder or disease state, or a nucleic acid molecule from aninfectious agent. In the present invention, the target is a nucleic acidmolecule encoding zinc finger protein-217. The targeting process alsoincludes determination of a site or sites within this gene for theantisense interaction to occur such that the desired effect, e.g.,detection or modulation of expression of the protein, will result.Within the context of the present invention, a preferred intragenic siteis the region encompassing the translation initiation or terminationcodon of the open reading frame (ORF) of the gene. Since, as is known inthe art, the translation initiation codon is typically 5′-AUG (intranscribed mRNA molecules; 5′-ATG in the corresponding DNA molecule),the translation initiation codon is also referred to as the “AUG codon,”the “start codon” or the “AUG start codon”. A minority of genes have atranslation initiation codon having the RNA sequence 5′-GUG, 5′-UUG or5′-CUG, and 5′-AUA, 5′-ACG and 5′-CUG have been shown to function invivo. Thus, the terms “translation initiation codon” and “start codon”can encompass many codon sequences, even though the initiator amino acidin each instance is typically methionine (in eukaryotes) orformylmethionine (in prokaryotes). It is also known in the art thateukaryotic and prokaryotic genes may have two or more alternative startcodons, any one of which may be preferentially utilized for translationinitiation in a particular cell type or tissue, or under a particularset of conditions. In the context of the invention, “start codon” and“translation initiation codon” refer to the codon or codons that areused in vivo to initiate translation of an nmRNA molecule transcribedfrom a gene encoding zinc finger protein-217, regardless of thesequence(s) of such codons.

It is also known in the art that a translation termination codon (or“stop codon”) of a gene may have one of three sequences, i.e., 5′-UAA,5′-UAG and 5′-UGA (the corresponding DNA sequences are 5′-TAA, 5′-TAGand 5′-TGA, respectively). The terms “start codon region” and“translation initiation codon region” refer to a portion of such an mRNAor gene that encompasses from about 25 to about 50 contiguousnucleotides in either direction (i.e., 5′ or 3′) from a translationinitiation codon. Similarly, the terms “stop codon region” and“translation termination codon region” refer to a portion of such anmRNA or gene that encompasses from about 25 to about 50 contiguousnucleotides in either direction (i.e., 5′ or 3′) from a translationtermination codon.

The open reading frame (ORF) or “coding region,” which is known in theart to refer to the region between the translation initiation codon andthe translation termination codon, is also a region which may betargeted effectively. Other target regions include the 5′ untranslatedregion (5′UTR), known in the art to refer to the portion of an mRNA inthe 5′ direction from the translation initiation codon, and thusincluding nucleotides between the 5′ cap site and the translationinitiation codon of an mRNA or corresponding nucleotides on the gene,and the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR), known in the art to refer to theportion of an mRNA in the 3′ direction from the translation terminationcodon, and thus including nucleotides between the translationtermination codon and 3′ end of an mRNA or corresponding nucleotides onthe gene. The 5′ cap of an mRNA comprises an N7-methylated guanosineresidue joined to the 5′-most residue of the mRNA via a 5′-5′triphosphate linkage. The 5′ cap region of an mRNA is considered toinclude the 5′ cap structure itself as well as the first 50 nucleotidesadjacent to the cap. The 5′ cap region may also be a preferred targetregion.

Although some eukaryotic mRNA transcripts are directly translated, manycontain one or more regions, known as “introns,” which are excised froma transcript before it is translated. The remaining (and thereforetranslated) regions are known as “exons” and are spliced together toform a continuous mRNA sequence. mRNA splice sites, i.e., intron-exonjunctions, may also be preferred target regions, and are particularlyuseful in situations where aberrant splicing is implicated in disease,or where an overproduction of a particular mRNA splice product isimplicated in disease. Aberrant fusion junctions due to rearrangementsor deletions are also preferred targets. It has also been found thatintrons can also be effective, and therefore preferred, target regionsfor antisense compounds targeted, for example, to DNA or pre-mRNA.

Once one or more target sites have been identified, oligonucleotides arechosen which are sufficiently complementary to the target, i.e.,hybridize sufficiently well and with sufficient specificity, to give thedesired effect.

In the context of this invention, “hybridization” means hydrogenbonding, which may be Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen or reversed Hoogsteenhydrogen bonding, between complementary nucleoside or nucleotide bases.For example, adenine and thymine are complementary nucleobases whichpair through the formation of hydrogen bonds. “Complementary,” as usedherein, refers to the capacity for precise pairing between twonucleotides. For example, if a nucleotide at a certain position of anoligonucleotide is capable of hydrogen bonding with a nucleotide at thesame position of a DNA or RNA molecule, then the oligonucleotide and theDNA or RNA are considered to be complementary to each other at thatposition. The oligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA are complementary toeach other when a sufficient number of corresponding positions in eachmolecule are occupied by nucleotides which can hydrogen bond with eachother. Thus, “specifically hybridizable” and “complementary” are termswhich are used to indicate a sufficient degree of complementarity orprecise pairing such that stable and specific binding occurs between theoligonucleotide and the DNA or RNA target. It is understood in the artthat the sequence of an antisense compound need not be 100%complementary to that of its target nucleic acid to be specificallyhybridizable. An antisense compound is specifically hybridizable whenbinding of the compound to the target DNA or RNA molecule interfereswith the normal function of the target DNA or RNA to cause a loss ofutility, and there is a sufficient degree of complementarity to avoidnon-specific binding of the antisense compound to non-target sequencesunder conditions in which specific binding is desired, i.e., underphysiological conditions in the case of in vivo assays or therapeutictreatment, and in the case of in vitro assays, under conditions in whichthe assays are performed.

Antisense compounds are commonly used as research reagents anddiagnostics. For example, antisense oligonucleotides, which are able toinhibit gene expression with exquisite specificity, are often used bythose of ordinary skill to elucidate the function of particular genes.Antisense compounds are also used, for example, to distinguish betweenfunctions of various members of a biological pathway. Antisensemodulation has, therefore, been harnessed for research use.

The specificity and sensitivity of antisense is also harnessed by thoseof skill in the art for therapeutic uses. Antisense oligonucleotideshave been employed as therapeutic moieties in the treatment of diseasestates in animals and man. Antisense oligonucleotides have been safelyand effectively administered to humans and numerous clinical trials arepresently underway. It is thus established that oligonucleotides can beuseful therapeutic modalities that can be configured to be useful intreatment regimes for treatment of cells, tissues and animals,especially humans. In the context of this invention, the term“oligonucleotide” refers to an oligomer or polymer of ribonucleic acid(RNA) or deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or mimetics thereof. This termincludes oligonucleotides composed of naturally-occurring nucleobases,sugars and covalent internucleoside (backbone) linkages as well asoligonucleotides having non-naturally-occurring portions which functionsimilarly. Such modified or substituted oligonucleotides are oftenpreferred over native forms because of desirable properties such as, forexample, enhanced cellular uptake, enhanced affinity for nucleic acidtarget and increased stability in the presence of nucleases.

While antisense oligonucleotides are a preferred form of antisensecompound, the present invention comprehends other oligomeric antisensecompounds, including but not limited to oligonucleotide mimetics such asare described below. The antisense compounds in accordance with thisinvention preferably comprise from about 8 to about 30 nucleobases (i.e.from about 8 to about 30 linked nucleosides). Particularly preferredantisense compounds are antisense oligonucleotides, even more preferablythose comprising from about 12 to about 25 nucleobases. As is known inthe art, a nucleoside is a base-sugar combination. The base portion ofthe nucleoside is normally a heterocyclic base. The two most commonclasses of such heterocyclic bases are the purines and the pyrimidines.Nucleotides are nucleosides that further include a phosphate groupcovalently linked to the sugar portion of the nucleoside. For thosenucleosides that include a pentofuranosyl sugar, the phosphate group canbe linked to either the 2′, 3′ or 5′ hydroxyl moiety of the sugar. Informing oligonucleotides, the phosphate groups covalently link adjacentnucleosides to one another to form a linear polymeric compound. In turnthe respective ends of this linear polymeric structure can be furtherjoined to form a circular structure, however, open linear structures aregenerally preferred. Within the oligonucleotide structure, the phosphategroups are commonly referred to as forming the internucleoside backboneof the oligonucleotide. The normal linkage or backbone of RNA and DNA isa 3′ to 5′phosphodiester linkage.

Specific examples of preferred antisense compounds useful in thisinvention include oligonucleotides containing modified backbones ornon-natural internucleoside linkages. As defined in this specification,oligonucleotides having modified backbones include those that retain aphosphorus atom in the backbone and those that do not have a phosphorusatom in the backbone. For the purposes of this specification, and assometimes referenced in the art, modified oligonucleotides that do nothave a phosphorus atom in their internucleoside backbone can also beconsidered to be oligonucleosides.

Preferred modified oligonucleotide backbones include, for example,phosphorothioates, chiral phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates,phosphotriesters, aminoalkylphosphotriesters, methyl and other alkylphosphonates including 3′-alkylene phosphonates and chiral phosphonates,phosphinates, phosphoramidates including 3′-amino phosphoramidate andaminoalkylphosphoramidates, thionophosphoramidates,thionoalkylphosphonates, thionoalkylphosphotriesters, andboranophosphates having normal 3′-5′ linkages, 2′-5′ linked analogs ofthese, and those having inverted polarity wherein the adjacent pairs ofnucleoside units are linked 3′-5′ to 5′-3′or 2′-5′ to 5′-2′. Varioussalts, mixed salts and free acid forms are also included.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of theabove phosphorus-containing linkages include, but are not limited to,U.S. Pat. Nos.: 3,687,808; 4,469,863; 4,476,301; 5,023,243; 5,177,196;5,188,897; 5,264,423; 5,276,019; 5,278,302; 5,286,717; 5,321,131;5,399,676; 5,405,939; 5,453,496; 5,455,233; 5,466,677; 5,476,925;5,519,126; 5,536,821; 5,541,306; 5,550,111; 5,563,253; 5,571,799;5,587,361; and 5,625,050, certain of which are commonly owned with thisapplication, and each of which is herein incorporated by reference.

Preferred modified oligonucleotide backbones that do not include aphosphorus atom therein have backbones that are formed by short chainalkyl or cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, mixed heteroatom and alkylor cycloalkyl internucleoside linkages, or one or more short chainheteroatomic or heterocyclic internucleoside linkages. These includethose having morpholino linkages (formed in part from the sugar portionof a nucleoside); siloxane backbones; sulfide, sulfoxide and sulfonebackbones; formacetyl and thioformacetyl backbones; methylene formacetyland thioformacetyl backbones; alkene containing backbones; sulfamatebackbones; methyleneimino and methylenehydrazino backbones; sulfonateand sulfonamide backbones; amide backbones; and others having mixed N,O, S and CH₂ component parts.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of theabove oligonucleosides include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos.:5,034,506; 5,166,315; 5,185,444; 5,214,134; 5,216,141; 5,235,033;5,264,562; 5,264,564; 5,405,938; 5,434,257; 5,466,677; 5,470,967;5,489,677; 5,541,307; 5,561,225; 5,596,086; 5,602,240; 5,610,289;5,602,240; 5,608,046; 5,610,289; 5,618,704; 5,623,070; 5,663,312;5,633,360; 5,677,437; and 5,677,439, certain of which are commonly ownedwith this application, and each of which is herein incorporated byreference.

In other preferred oligonucleotide mimetics, both the sugar and theinternucleoside linkage, i.e., the backbone, of the nucleotide units arereplaced with novel groups. The base units are maintained forhybridization with an appropriate nucleic acid target compound. One sucholigomeric compound, an oligonucleotide mimetic that has been shown tohave excellent hybridization properties, is referred to as a peptidenucleic acid (PNA). In PNA compounds, the sugar-backbone of anoligonucleotide is replaced with an amide containing backbone, inparticular an aminoethylglycine backbone. The nucleobases are retainedand are bound directly or indirectly to aza nitrogen atoms of the amideportion of the backbone. Representative United States patents that teachthe preparation of PNA compounds include, but are not limited to, U.S.Pat. Nos.: 5,539,082; 5,714,331; and 5,719,262, each of which is hereinincorporated by reference. Further teaching of PNA compounds can befound in Nielsen et al., Science, 1991, 254, 1497-1500.

Most preferred embodiments of the invention are oligonucleotides withphosphorothioate backbones and oligonucleosides with heteroatombackbones, and in particular —CH₂—NH—O—CH₂—, —CH₂—N(CH₃)—O—CH₂—[ knownas a methylene (methylimino) or MMI backbone], —CH₂—O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—,—CH₂—N(CH₃)—N(CH₃)—CH₂— and —O—N(CH₃)—CH₂—CH₂— [wherein the nativephosphodiester backbone is represented as —O—P—O—CH₂—] of the abovereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,677, and the amide backbones of the abovereferenced U.S. Pat. No. 5,602,240. Also preferred are oligonucleotideshaving morpholino backbone structures of the above-referenced U.S. Pat.No. 5,034,506.

Modified oligonucleotides may also contain one or more substituted sugarmoieties. Preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following atthe 2′ position: OH; F; O—, S—, or N-alkyl; O—, S—, or N-alkenyl; O—, S—or N-alkynyl; or O-alkyl-O-alkyl, wherein the alkyl, alkenyl and alkynylmay be substituted or unsubstituted C₁ to C₁₀ alkyl or C₂ to C10 alkenyland alkynyl. Particularly preferred are O[(CH₂)_(n)O]_(m)CH₃,O(CH₂)_(n)OCH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)NH₂, O(CH₂)_(n)CH₃, O(CH₂)_(n)ONH₂, andO(CH₂)_(n)ON[(CH₂)_(n)(CH₃[₂, where n and m are from 1 to about 10.Other preferred oligonucleotides comprise one of the following at the 2′position: C₁ to C₁₀ lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, alkaryl,aralkyl, O-alkaryl or O-aralkyl, SH, SCH₃, OCN, Cl, Br, CN, CF₃, OCF₃,SOCH₃, SO₂CH₃, ONO₂, NO₂, N₃, NH₂, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkaryl,aminoalkylamino, polyalkylamino, substituted silyl, an RNA cleavinggroup, a reporter group, an intercalator, a group for improving thepharmacokinetic properties of an oligonucleotide, or a group forimproving the pharmacodynamic properties of an oligonucleotide, andother substituents having similar properties. A preferred modificationincludes 2′-methoxyethoxy (2′—O—CH₂CH₂OCH₃, also known as2′—O—(2-methoxyethyl) or 2′-MOE) (Martin et al., Helv. Chim. Acta, 1995,78, 486-504) i.e., an alkoxyalkoxy group. A further preferredmodification includes 2′-dimethylaminooxyethoxy, i.e., a O(CH₂)₂ON(CH₃)₂group, also known as 2′-DMAOE, as described in examples hereinbelow, and2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy (also known in the art as2′-O-dimethylaminoethoxyethyl or 2′-DMAEOE), i.e.,2′—O—CH₂—O—CH₂—N(CH₂)₂, also described in examples hereinbelow.

Other preferred modifications include 2′-methoxy (2′-O—CH₃),2′-aminopropoxy (2′-OCH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂) and 2′-fluoro (2′-F). Similarmodifications may also be made at other positions on theoligonucleotide, particularly the 3′ position of the sugar on the 3′terminal nucleotide or in 2′-5′ linked oligonucleotides and the 5′position of 5′ terminal nucleotide. Oligonucleotides may also have sugarmimetics such as cyclobutyl moieties in place of the pentofuranosylsugar. Representative United States patents that teach the preparationof such modified sugar structures include, but are not limited to, U.S.Pat. Nos.: 4,981,957; 5,118,800; 5,319,080; 5,359,044; 5,393,878;5,446,137; 5,466,786; 5,514,785; 5,519,134; 5,567,811; 5,576,427;5,591,722; 5,597,909; 5,610,300; 5,627,053; 5,639,873; 5,646,265;5,658,873; 5,670,633; and 5,700,920, certain of which are commonly ownedwith the instant application, and each of which is herein incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

Oligonucleotides may also include nucleobase (often referred to in theart simply as “base”) modifications or substitutions. As used herein,“unmodified” or “natural” nucleobases include the purine bases adenine(A) and guanine (G), and the pyrimidine bases thymine (T), cytosine (C)and uracil (U). Modified nucleobases include other synthetic and naturalnucleobases such as 5-methylcytosine (5-me-C), 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine,xanthine, hypoxanthine, 2-aminoadenine, 6-methyl and other alkylderivatives of adenine and guanine, 2-propyl and other alkyl derivativesof adenine and guanine, 2-thiouracil, 2-thiothymine and 2-thiocytosine,5-halouracil and cytosine, 5-propynyl uracil and cytosine, 6-azo uracil,cytosine and thymine, 5-uracil (pseudouracil), 4-thiouracil, 8-halo,8-amino, 8-thiol, 8-thioalkyl, 8-hydroxyl and other 8-substitutedadenines and guanines, 5-halo particularly 5-bromo, 5-trifluoromethyland other 5-substituted uracils and cytosines, 7-methylguanine and7-methyladenine, 8-azaguanine and 8-azaadenine, 7-deazaguanine and7-deazaadenine and 3-deazaguanine and 3-deazaadenine. Furthernucleobases include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,687,808, thosedisclosed in The Concise Encyclopedia Of Polymer Science AndEngineering, pages 858-859, Kroschwitz, J. I., ed. John Wiley & Sons,1990, those disclosed by Englisch et al., Angewandte Chemie,International Edition, 1991, 30, 613, and those disclosed by Sanghvi, Y.S., Chapter 15, Antisense Research and Applications, pages 289-302,Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B. ed., CRC Press, 1993. Certain of thesenucleobases are particularly useful for increasing the binding affinityof the oligomeric compounds of the invention. These include5-substituted pyrimidines, 6-azapyrimidines and N-2, N-6 and O-6substituted purines, including 2-aminopropyladenine, 5-propynyluraciland 5-propynylcytosine. 5-methylcytosine substitutions have been shownto increase nucleic acid duplex stability by 0.6-1.2° C. (Sanghvi, Y.S., Crooke, S. T. and Lebleu, B., eds., Antisense Research andApplications, CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1993, pp. 276-278) and arepresently preferred base substitutions, even more particularly whencombined with 2′-O-methoxyethyl sugar modifications.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation ofcertain of the above noted modified nucleobases as well as othermodified nucleobases include, but are not limited to, the above notedU.S. Pat. No. 3,687,808, as well as U.S. Pat. Nos.: 4,845,205;5,130,302; 5,134,066; 5,175,273; 5,367,066; 5,432,272; 5,457,187;5,459,255; 5,484,908; 5,502,177; 5,525,711; 5,552,540; 5,587,469;5,594,121, 5,596,091; 5,614,617; and 5,681,941, certain of which arecommonly owned with the instant application, and each of which is hereinincorporated by reference, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,750,692, which iscommonly owned with the instant application and also herein incorporatedby reference.

Another modification of the oligonucleotides of the invention involveschemically linking to the oligonucleotide one or more moieties orconjugates which enhance the activity, cellular distribution or cellularuptake of the oligonucleotide. Such moieties include but are not limitedto lipid moieties such as a cholesterol moiety (Letsinger et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 1989, 86, 6553-6556), cholic acid (Manoharan etal., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 1994, 4, 1053-1060), a thioether, e.g.,hexyl-S-tritylthiol (Manoharan et al., Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1992, 660,306-309; Manoharan et al., Bioorg. Med. Chem. Let., 1993, 3, 2765-2770),a thiocholesterol (Oberhauser et al., Nucl. Acids Res., 1992, 20,533-538), an aliphatic chain, e.g., dodecandiol or undecyl residues(Saison-Behmoaras et al., EMBO J., 1991, 10, 1111-1118; Kabanov et al.,FEBS Lett., 1990, 259, 327-330; Svinarchuk et al., Biochimie, 1993, 75,49-54), a phospholipid, e.g., di-hexadecyl-rac-glycerol ortriethylammonium 1,2-di-O-hexadecyl-rac-glycero-3-H-phosphonate(Manoharan et al., Tetrahedron Lett., 1995, 36, 3651-3654; Shea et al.,Nucl. Acids Res., 1990, 18, 3777-3783), a polyamine or a polyethyleneglycol chain (Manoharan et al., Nucleosides & Nucleotides, 1995, 14,969-973), or adamantane acetic acid (Manoharan et al., TetrahedronLett., 1995, 36, 3651-3654), a palmityl moiety (Mishra et al., Biochim.Biophys. Acta, 1995, 1264, 229-237), or an octadecylamine orhexylamino-carbonyl-oxycholesterol moiety (Crooke et al., J. Pharmacol.Exp. Ther., 1996, 277, 923-937.

Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of sucholigonucleotide conjugates include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat.Nos.: 4,828,979; 4,948,882; 5,218,105; 5,525,465; 5,541,313; 5,545,730;5,552,538; 5,578,717, 5,580,731; 5,580,731; 5,591,584; 5,109,124;5,118,802; 5,138,045; 5,414,077; 5,486,603; 5,512,439; 5,578,718;5,608,046; 4,587,044; 4,605,735; 4,667,025; 4,762,779; 4,789,737;4,824,941; 4,835,263; 4,876,335; 4,904,582; 4,958,013; 5,082,830;5,112,963; 5,214,136; 5,082,830; 5,112,963; 5,214,136; 5,245,022;5,254,469; 5,258,506; 5,262,536; 5,272,250; 5,292,873; 5,317,098;5,371,241, 5,391,723; 5,416,203, 5,451,463; 5,510,475; 5,512,667;5,514,785; 5,565,552; 5,567,810; 5,574,142; 5,585,481; 5,587,371;5,595,726; 5,597,696; 5,599,923; 5,599,928 and 5,688,941, certain ofwhich are commonly owned with the instant application, and each of whichis herein incorporated by reference.

It is not necessary for all positions in a given compound to beuniformly modified, and in fact more than one of the aforementionedmodifications may be incorporated in a single compound or even at asingle nucleoside within an oligonucleotide. The present invention alsoincludes antisense compounds which are chimeric compounds. “Chimeric”antisense compounds or “chimeras,” in the context of this invention, areantisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, which contain two ormore chemically distinct regions, each made up of at least one monomerunit, i.e., a nucleotide in the case of an oligonucleotide compound.These oligonucleotides typically contain at least one region wherein theoligonucleotide is modified so as to confer upon the oligonucleotideincreased resistance to nuclease degradation, increased cellular uptake,and/or increased binding affinity for the target nucleic acid. Anadditional region of the oligonucleotide may serve as a substrate forenzymes capable of cleaving RNA:DNA or RNA:RNA hybrids. By way ofexample, RNase H is a cellular endonuclease which cleaves the RNA strandof an RNA:DNA duplex. Activation of RNase H, therefore, results incleavage of the RNA target, thereby greatly enhancing the efficiency ofoligonucleotide inhibition of gene expression. Consequently, comparableresults can often be obtained with shorter oligonucleotides whenchimeric oligonucleotides are used, compared to phosphorothioatedeoxyoligonucleotides hybridizing to the same target region. Cleavage ofthe RNA target can be routinely detected by gel electrophoresis and, ifnecessary, associated nucleic acid hybridization techniques known in theart.

Chimeric antisense compounds of the invention may be formed as compositestructures of two or more oligonucleotides, modified oligonucleotides,oligonucleosides and/or oligonucleotide mimetics as described above.Such compounds have also been referred to in the art as hybrids orgapmers. Representative United States patents that teach the preparationof such hybrid structures include, but are not limited to, U.S. Pat.Nos.: 5,013,830; 5,149,797; 5,220,007; 5,256,775; 5,366,878; 5,403,711;5,491,133; 5,565,350; 5,623,065; 5,652,355; 5,652,356; and 5,700,922,certain of which are commonly owned with the instant application, andeach of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The antisense compounds used in accordance with this invention may beconveniently and routinely made through the well-known technique ofsolid phase synthesis. Equipment for such synthesis is sold by severalvendors including, for example, Applied Biosystems (Foster City,Calif.). Any other means for such synthesis known in the art mayadditionally or alternatively be employed. It is well known to usesimilar techniques to prepare oligonucleotides such as thephosphorothioates and alkylated derivatives.

The antisense compounds of the invention are synthesized in vitro and donot include antisense compositions of biological origin, or geneticvector constructs designed to direct the in vivo synthesis of antisensemolecules. The compounds of the invention may also be admixed,encapsulated, conjugated or otherwise associated with other molecules,molecule structures or mixtures of compounds, as for example, liposomes,receptor targeted molecules, oral, rectal, topical or otherformulations, for assisting in uptake, distribution and/or absorption.Representative United States patents that teach the preparation of suchuptake, distribution and/or absorption assisting formulations include,but are not limited to, U.S. Pat. Nos.: 5,108,921; 5,354,844; 5,416,016;5,459,127; 5,521,291; 5,543,158; 5,547,932; 5,583,020; 5,591,721;4,426,330; 4,534,899; 5,013,556; 5,108,921; 5,213,804; 5,227,170;5,264,221; 5,356,633; 5,395,619; 5,416,016; 5,417,978; 5,462,854;5,469,854; 5,512,295; 5,527,528; 5,534,259; 5,543,152; 5,556,948;5,580,575; and 5,595,756, each of which is herein incorporated byreference.

The antisense compounds of the invention encompass any pharmaceuticallyacceptable salts, esters, or salts of such esters, or any other compoundwhich, upon administration to an animal including a human, is capable ofproviding (directly or indirectly) the biologically active metabolite orresidue thereof. Accordingly, for example, the disclosure is also drawnto prodrugs and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds ofthe invention, pharmaceutically acceptable salts of such prodrugs, andother bioequivalents.

The term “prodrug” indicates a therapeutic agent that is prepared in aninactive form that is converted to an active form (i.e., drug) withinthe body or cells thereof by the action of endogenous enzymes or otherchemicals and/or conditions. In particular, prodrug versions of theoligonucleotides of the invention are prepared as SATE[(S-acetyl-2-thioethyl) phosphate] derivatives according to the methodsdisclosed in WO 93/24510 to Gosselin et al., published Dec. 9, 1993 orin WO 94/26764 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,713 to Imbach et al.

The term “pharmaceutically acceptable salts” refers to physiologicallyand pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds of the invention:i.e., salts that retain the desired biological activity of the parentcompound and do not impart undesired toxicological effects thereto.

Pharmaceutically acceptable base addition salts are formed with metalsor amines, such as alkali and alkaline earth metals or organic amines.Examples of metals used as cations are sodium, potassium, magnesium,calcium, and the like. Examples of suitable amines areN,N′-dibenzylethylenediamine, chloroprocaine, choline, diethanolamine,dicyclohexylamine, ethylenediamine, N-methylglucamine, and procaine(see, for example, Berge et al., “Pharmaceutical Salts,” J. of PharmaSci., 1977, 66, 1-19). The base addition salts of said acidic compoundsare prepared by contacting the free acid form with a sufficient amountof the desired base to produce the salt in the conventional manner. Thefree acid form may be regenerated by contacting the salt form with anacid and isolating the free acid in the conventional manner. The freeacid forms differ from their respective salt forms somewhat in certainphysical properties such as solubility in polar solvents, but otherwisethe salts are equivalent to their respective free acid for purposes ofthe present invention. As used herein, a “pharmaceutical addition salt”includes a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of an acid form of one ofthe components of the compositions of the invention. These includeorganic or inorganic acid salts of the amines. Preferred acid salts arethe hydrochlorides, acetates, salicylates, nitrates and phosphates.Other suitable pharmaceutically acceptable salts are well known to thoseskilled in the art and include basic salts of a variety of inorganic andorganic acids, such as, for example, with inorganic acids, such as forexample hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid or phosphoricacid; with organic carboxylic, sulfonic, sulfo or phospho acids orN-substituted sulfamic acids, for example acetic acid, propionic acid,glycolic acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, hydroxymaleic acid,methylmaleic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid,oxalic acid, gluconic acid, glucaric acid, glucuronic acid, citric acid,benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, mandelic acid, salicylic acid,4-aminosalicylic acid, 2-phenoxybenzoic acid, 2-acetoxybenzoic acid,embonic acid, nicotinic acid or isonicotinic acid; and with amino acids,such as the 20 alpha-amino acids involved in the synthesis of proteinsin nature, for example glutamic acid or aspartic acid, and also withphenylacetic acid, methanesulfonic acid, ethanesulfonic acid,2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid, ethane-1,2-disulfonic acid,benzenesulfonic acid, 4-methylbenzenesulfonic acid,naphthalene-2-sulfonic acid, naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid, 2- or3-phosphoglycerate, glucose-6-phosphate, N-cyclohexylsulfamic acid (withthe formation of cyclamates), or with other acid organic compounds, suchas ascorbic acid. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts of compounds mayalso be prepared with a pharmaceutically acceptable cation. Suitablepharmaceutically acceptable cations are well known to those skilled inthe art and include alkaline, alkaline earth, ammonium and quaternaryammonium cations. Carbonates or hydrogen carbonates are also possible.

For oligonucleotides, preferred examples of pharmaceutically acceptablesalts include but are not limited to (a) salts formed with cations suchas sodium, potassium, ammonium, magnesium, calcium, polyamines such asspermine and spermidine, etc.; (b) acid addition salts formed withinorganic acids, for example hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid,sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, nitric acid and the like; (c) saltsformed with organic acids such as, for example, acetic acid, oxalicacid, tartaric acid, succinic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, gluconicacid, citric acid, malic acid, ascorbic acid, benzoic acid, tannic acid,palmitic acid, alginic acid, polyglutamic acid, naphthalenesulfonicacid, methanesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid,naphthalenedisulfonic acid, polygalacturonic acid, and the like; and (d)salts formed from elemental anions such as chlorine, bromine, andiodine.

The antisense compounds of the present invention can be utilized fordiagnostics, therapeutics, prophylaxis and as research reagents andkits. For therapeutics, an animal, preferably a human, suspected ofhaving a disease or disorder which can be treated by modulating theexpression of zinc finger protein-217 is treated by administeringantisense compounds in accordance with this invention. The compounds ofthe invention can be utilized in pharmaceutical compositions by addingan effective amount of an antisense compound to a suitablepharmaceutically acceptable diluent or carrier. Use of the antisensecompounds and methods of the invention may also be usefulprophylactically, e.g., to prevent or delay infection, inflammation ortumor formation, for example.

The antisense compounds of the invention are useful for research anddiagnostics, because these compounds hybridize to nucleic acids encodingzinc finger protein-217, enabling sandwich and other assays to easily beconstructed to exploit this fact. Hybridization of the antisenseoligonucleotides of the invention with a nucleic acid encoding zincfinger protein-217 can be detected by means known in the art. Such meansmay include conjugation of an enzyme to the oligonucleotide,radiolabelling of the oligonucleotide or any other suitable detectionmeans. Kits using such detection means for detecting the level of zincfinger protein-217 in a sample may also be prepared.

The present invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions andformulations which include the antisense compounds of the invention. Thepharmaceutical compositions of the present invention may be administeredin a number of ways depending upon whether local or systemic treatmentis desired and upon the area to be treated. Administration may betopical (including ophthalmic and to mucous membranes including vaginaland rectal delivery), pulmonary, e.g., by inhalation or insufflation ofpowders or aerosols, including by nebulizer; intratracheal, intranasal,epidermal and transdermal), oral or parenteral. Parenteraladministration includes intravenous, intraarterial, subcutaneous,intraperitoneal or intramuscular injection or infusion; or intracranial,e.g., intrathecal or intraventricular, administration. Oligonucleotideswith at least one 2′-O-methoxyethyl modification are believed to beparticularly useful for oral administration.

Pharmaceutical compositions and formulations for topical administrationmay include transdermal patches, ointments, lotions, creams, gels,drops, suppositories, sprays, liquids and powders. Conventionalpharmaceutical carriers, aqueous, owder or oily bases, thickeners andthe like may be necessary or desirable. Coated condoms, gloves and thelike ay also be useful.

Compositions and formulations for oral administration include powders orgranules, suspensions or solutions in water or non-aqueous media,capsules, sachets or tablets. thickeners, flavoring agents, diluents,emulsifiers, ispersing aids or binders may be desirable.

Compositions and formulations for parenteral, intrathecal orintraventricular administration may include sterile aqueous solutionswhich may also contain buffers, diluents and other suitable additivessuch as, but not limited to, penetration enhancers, carrier compoundsand other pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients.

Pharmaceutical compositions of the present invention include, but arenot limited to, solutions, emulsions, and liposome-containingformulations. These compositions may be generated from a variety ofcomponents that include, but are not limited to, preformed liquids,self-emulsifying solids and self-emulsifying semisolids.

The pharmaceutical formulations of the present invention, which mayconveniently be presented in unit dosage form, may be prepared accordingto conventional techniques well known in the pharmaceutical industry.Such techniques include the step of bringing into association the activeingredients with the pharmaceutical carrier(s) or excipient(s). Ingeneral the formulations are prepared by uniformly and intimatelybringing into association the active ingredients with liquid carriers orfinely divided solid carriers or both, and then, if necessary, shapingthe product.

The compositions of the present invention may be formulated into any ofmany possible dosage forms such as, but not limited to, tablets,capsules, liquid syrups, soft gels, suppositories, and enemas. Thecompositions of the present invention may also be formulated assuspensions in aqueous, non-aqueous or mixed media. Aqueous suspensionsmay further contain substances which increase the viscosity of thesuspension including, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,sorbitol and/or dextran. The suspension may also contain stabilizers.

In one embodiment of the present invention the pharmaceuticalcompositions may be formulated and used as foams. Pharmaceutical foamsinclude formulations such as, but not limited to, emulsions,microemulsions, creams, jellies and liposomes. While basically similarin nature these formulations vary in the components and the consistencyof the final product. The preparation of such compositions andformulations is generally known to those skilled in the pharmaceuticaland formulation arts and may be applied to the formulation of thecompositions of the present invention.

Emulsions

The compositions of the present invention may be prepared and formulatedas emulsions. Emulsions are typically heterogenous systems of one liquiddispersed in another in the form of droplets usually exceeding 0.1 μm indiameter. (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p.199; Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., Volume 1, p.245; Block in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 2, p. 335;Higuchi et al., in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, Mack PublishingCo., Easton, Pa., 1985, p. 301). Emulsions are often biphasic systemscomprising of two immiscible liquid phases intimately mixed anddispersed with each other. In general, emulsions may be eitherwater-in-oil (w/o) or of the oil-in-water (o/w) variety. When an aqueousphase is finely divided into and dispersed as minute droplets into abulk oily phase the resulting composition is called a water-in-oil (w/o)emulsion. Alternatively, when an oily phase is finely divided into anddispersed as minute droplets into a bulk aqueous phase the resultingcomposition is called an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion. Emulsions maycontain additional components in addition to the dispersed phases andthe active drug which may be present as a solution in either the aqueousphase, oily phase or itself as a separate phase. Pharmaceuticalexcipients such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, dyes, and anti-oxidants mayalso be present in emulsions as needed. Pharmaceutical emulsions mayalso be multiple emulsions that are comprised of more than two phasessuch as, for example, in the case of oil-in-water-in-oil (o/w/o) andwater-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) emulsions. Such complex formulations oftenprovide certain advantages that simple binary emulsions do not. Multipleemulsions in which individual oil droplets of an o/w emulsion enclosesmall water droplets constitute a w/o/w emulsion. Likewise a system ofoil droplets enclosed in globules of water stabilized in an oilycontinuous provides an o/w/o emulsion.

Emulsions are characterized by little or no thermodynamic stability.Often, the dispersed or discontinuous phase of the emulsion is welldispersed into the external or continuous phase and maintained in thisform through the means of emulsifiers or the viscosity of theformulation. Either of the phases of the emulsion may be a semisolid ora solid, as is the case of emulsion-style ointment bases and creams.Other means of stabilizing emulsions entail the use of emulsifiers thatmay be incorporated into either phase of the emulsion. Emulsifiers maybroadly be classified into four categories: synthetic surfactants,naturally occurring emulsifiers, absorption bases, and finely dispersedsolids (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger andBanker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p.199).

Synthetic surfactants, also known as surface active agents, have foundwide applicability in the formulation of emulsions and have beenreviewed in the literature (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., volume 1, p. 285; Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York,N.Y., 1988, volume 1, p. 199). Surfactants are typically amphiphilic andcomprise a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic portion. The ratio of thehydrophilic to the hydrophobic nature of the surfactant has been termedthe hydrophile/lipophile balance (HLB) and is a valuable tool incategorizing and selecting surfactants in the preparation offormulations. Surfactants may be classified into different classes basedon the nature of the hydrophilic group: nonionic, anionic, cationic andamphoteric (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Riegerand Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1,p. 285).

Naturally occurring emulsifiers used in emulsion formulations includelanolin, beeswax, phosphatides, lecithin and acacia. Absorption basespossess hydrophilic properties such that they can soak up water to formw/o emulsions yet retain their semisolid consistencies, such asanhydrous lanolin and hydrophilic petrolatum. Finely divided solids havealso been used as good emulsifiers especially in combination withsurfactants and in viscous preparations. These include polar inorganicsolids, such as heavy metal hydroxides, nonswelling clays such asbentonite, attapulgite, hectorite, kaolin, montmorillonite, colloidalaluminum silicate and colloidal magnesium aluminum silicate, pigmentsand nonpolar solids such as carbon or glyceryl tristearate.

A large variety of non-emulsifying materials are also included inemulsion formulations and contribute to the properties of emulsions.These include fats, oils, waxes, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fattyesters, humectants, hydrophilic colloids, preservatives and antioxidants(Block, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 335;Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker(Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 199).

Hydrophilic colloids or hydrocolloids include naturally occurring gumsand synthetic polymers such as polysaccharides (for example, acacia,agar, alginic acid, carrageenan, guar gum, karaya gum, and tragacanth),cellulose derivatives (for example, carboxymethylcellulose andcarboxypropylcellulose), and synthetic polymers (for example, carbomers,cellulose ethers, and carboxyvinyl polymers). These disperse or swell inwater to form colloidal solutions that stabilize emulsions by formingstrong interfacial films around the dispersed-phase droplets and byincreasing the viscosity of the external phase.

Since emulsions often contain a number of ingredients such ascarbohydrates, proteins, sterols and phosphatides that may readilysupport the growth of microbes, these formulations often incorporatepreservatives. Commonly used preservatives included in emulsionformulations include methyl paraben, propyl paraben, quaternary ammoniumsalts, benzalkonium chloride, esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and boricacid. Antioxidants are also commonly added to emulsion formulations toprevent deterioration of the formulation. Antioxidants used may be freeradical scavengers such as tocopherols, alkyl gallates, butylatedhydroxyanisole, butylated hydroxytoluene, or reducing agents such asascorbic acid and sodium metabisulfite, and antioxidant synergists suchas citric acid, tartaric acid, and lecithin.

The application of emulsion formulations via dermatological, oral andparenteral routes and methods for their manufacture have been reviewedin the literature (Idson, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman,Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y.,volume 1, p. 199). Emulsion formulations for oral delivery have beenvery widely used because of reasons of ease of formulation, efficacyfrom an absorption and bioavailability standpoint. (Rosoff, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245; Idson, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 199). Mineral-oil baselaxatives, oil-soluble vitamins and high fat nutritive preparations areamong the materials that have commonly been administered orally as o/wemulsions.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the compositions ofoligonucleotides and nucleic acids are formulated as microemulsions. Amicroemulsion may be defined as a system of water, oil and amphiphilewhich is a single optically isotropic and thermodynamically stableliquid solution (Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman,Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y.,volume 1, p. 245). Typically microemulsions are systems that areprepared by first dispersing an oil in an aqueous surfactant solutionand then adding a sufficient amount of a fourth component, generally anintermediate chain-length alcohol to form a transparent system.Therefore, microemulsions have also been described as thermodynamicallystable, isotropically clear dispersions of two immiscible liquids thatare stabilized by interfacial films of surface-active molecules (Leungand Shah, in: Controlled Release of Drugs: Polymers and AggregateSystems, Rosoff, M., Ed., 1989, VCH Publishers, New York, pages185-215). Microemulsions commonly are prepared via a combination ofthree to five components that include oil, water, surfactant,cosurfactant and electrolyte. Whether the microemulsion is of thewater-in-oil (w/o) or an oil-in-water (o/w) type is dependent on theproperties of the oil and surfactant used and on the structure andgeometric packing of the polar heads and hydrocarbon tails of thesurfactant molecules (Schott, in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences,Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1985, p. 271).

The phenomenological approach utilizing phase diagrams has beenextensively studied and has yielded a comprehensive knowledge, to oneskilled in the art, of how to formulate microemulsions (Rosoff, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245; Block, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988,Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., volume 1, p. 335). Compared toconventional emulsions, microemulsions offer the advantage ofsolubilizing water-insoluble drugs in a formulation of thermodynamicallystable droplets that are formed spontaneously.

Surfactants used in the preparation of microemulsions include, but arenot limited to, ionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, Brij 96,polyoxyethylene oleyl ethers, polyglycerol fatty acid esters,tetraglycerol monolaurate (ML310), tetraglycerol monooleate (MO310),hexaglycerol monooleate (PO310), hexaglycerol pentaoleate (PO500),decaglycerol monocaprate (MCA750), decaglycerol monooleate (MO750),decaglycerol sequioleate (S0750), decaglycerol decaoleate (DA0750),alone or in combination with cosurfactants. The cosurfactant, usually ashort-chain alcohol such as ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-butanol, servesto increase the interfacial fluidity by penetrating into the surfactantfilm and consequently creating a disordered film because of the voidspace generated among surfactant molecules. Microemulsions may, however,be prepared without the use of cosurfactants and alcohol-freeself-emulsifying microemulsion systems are known in the art. The aqueousphase may typically be, but is not limited to, water, an aqueoussolution of the drug, glycerol, PEG300, PEG400, polyglycerols, propyleneglycols, and derivatives of ethylene glycol. The oil phase may include,but is not limited to, materials such as Captex 300, Captex 355, CapmulMCM, fatty acid esters, medium chain (C8-C12) mono, di, andtriglycerides, polyoxyethylated glyceryl fatty acid esters, fattyalcohols, polyglycolized glycerides, saturated polyglycolized C8-C10glycerides, vegetable oils and silicone oil.

Microemulsions are particularly of interest from the standpoint of drugsolubilization and the enhanced absorption of drugs. Lipid basedmicroemulsions (both o/w and w/o) have been proposed to enhance the oralbioavailability of drugs, including peptides (Constantinides et al.,Pharmaceutical Research, 1994, 11, 1385-1390; Ritschel, Meth. Find. Exp.Clin. Pharmacol., 1993, 13, 205). Microemulsions afford advantages ofimproved drug solubilization, protection of drug from enzymatichydrolysis, possible enhancement of drug absorption due tosurfactant-induced alterations in membrane fluidity and permeability,ease of preparation, ease of oral administration over solid dosageforms, improved clinical potency, and decreased toxicity (Constantinideset al., Pharmaceutical Research, 1994, 11, 1385; Ho et al., J. Pharm.Sci., 1996, 85, 138-143). Often microemulsions may form spontaneouslywhen their components are brought together at ambient temperature. Thismay be particularly advantageous when formulating thermolabile drugs,peptides or oligonucleotides. Microemulsions have also been effective inthe transdermal delivery of active components in both cosmetic andpharmaceutical applications. It is expected that the microemulsioncompositions and formulations of the present invention will facilitatethe increased systemic absorption of oligonucleotides and nucleic acidsfrom the gastrointestinal tract, as well as improve the local cellularuptake of oligonucleotides and nucleic acids within the gastrointestinaltract, vagina, buccal cavity and other areas of administration.

Microemulsions of the present invention may also contain additionalcomponents and additives such as sorbitan monostearate (Grill 3),Labrasol, and penetration enhancers to improve the properties of theformulation and to enhance the absorption of the oligonucleotides andnucleic acids of the present invention. Penetration enhancers used inthe microemulsions of the present invention may be classified asbelonging to one of five broad categories—surfactants, fatty acids, bilesalts, chelating agents, and non-chelating non-surfactants (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p. 92). Eachof these classes has been discussed above.

Liposomes There are many organized surfactant structures besidesmicroemulsions that have been studied and used for the formulation ofdrugs. These include monolayers, micelles, bilayers and vesicles.Vesicles, such as liposomes, have attracted great interest because oftheir specificity and the duration of action they offer from thestandpoint of drug delivery. As used in the present invention, the term“liposome” means a vesicle composed of amphiphilic lipids arranged in aspherical bilayer or bilayers.

Liposomes are unilamellar or multilamellar vesicles which have amembrane formed from a lipophilic material and an aqueous interior. Theaqueous portion contains the composition to be delivered. Cationicliposomes possess the advantage of being able to fuse to the cell wall.Non-cationic liposomes, although not able to fuse as efficiently withthe cell wall, are taken up by macrophages in vivo.

In order to cross intact mammalian skin, lipid vesicles must passthrough a series of fine pores, each with a diameter less than 50 nm,under the influence of a suitable transdermal gradient. Therefore, it isdesirable to use a liposome which is highly deformable and able to passthrough such fine pores.

Further advantages of liposomes include; liposomes obtained from naturalphospholipids are biocompatible and biodegradable; liposomes canincorporate a wide range of water and lipid soluble drugs; liposomes canprotect encapsulated drugs in their internal compartments frommetabolism and degradation (Rosoff, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms,Lieberman, Rieger and Banker (Eds.), 1988, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NewYork, N.Y., volume 1, p. 245). Important considerations in thepreparation of liposome formulations are the lipid surface charge,vesicle size and the aqueous volume of the liposomes.

Liposomes are useful for the transfer and delivery of active ingredientsto the site of action. Because the liposomal membrane is structurallysimilar to biological membranes, when liposomes are applied to a tissue,the liposomes start to merge with the cellular membranes. As the mergingof the liposome and cell progresses, the liposomal contents are emptiedinto the cell where the active agent may act.

Liposomal formulations have been the focus of extensive investigation asthe mode of delivery for many drugs. There is growing evidence that fortopical administration, liposomes present several advantages over otherformulations. Such advantages include reduced side-effects related tohigh systemic absorption of the administered drug, increasedaccumulation of the administered drug at the desired target, and theability to administer a wide variety of drugs, both hydrophilic andhydrophobic, into the skin.

Several reports have detailed the ability of liposomes to deliver agentsincluding high-molecular weight DNA into the skin. Compounds includinganalgesics, antibodies, hormones and high-molecular weight DNAs havebeen administered to the skin. The majority of applications resulted inthe targeting of the upper epidermis.

Liposomes fall into two broad classes. Cationic liposomes are positivelycharged liposomes which interact with the negatively charged DNAmolecules to form a stable complex. The positively charged DNA/liposomecomplex binds to the negatively charged cell surface and is internalizedin an endosome. Due to the acidic pH within the endosome, the liposomesare ruptured, releasing their contents into the cell cytoplasm (Wang etal., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 1987, 147, 980-985).

Liposomes which are pH-sensitive or negatively-charged, entrap DNArather than complex with it. Since both the DNA and the lipid aresimilarly charged, repulsion rather than complex formation occurs.Nevertheless, some DNA is entrapped within the aqueous interior of theseliposomes. pH-sensitive liposomes have been used to deliver DNA encodingthe thymidine kinase gene to cell monolayers in culture. Expression ofthe exogenous gene was detected in the target cells (Zhou et al.,Journal of Controlled Release, 1992, 19, 269-274).

One major type of liposomal composition includes phospholipids otherthan naturally-derived phosphatidylcholine. Neutral liposomecompositions, for example, can be formed from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC).Anionic liposome compositions generally are formed from dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol, while anionic fusogenic liposomes are formedprimarily from dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). Another type ofliposomal composition is formed from phosphatidylcholine (PC) such as,for example, soybean PC, and egg PC. Another type is formed frommixtures of phospholipid and/or phosphatidylcholine and/or cholesterol.

Several studies have assessed the topical delivery of liposomal drugformulations to the skin. Application of liposomes containing interferonto guinea pig skin resulted in a reduction of skin herpes sores whiledelivery of interferon via other means (e.g. as a solution or as anemulsion) were ineffective (Weiner et al., Journal of Drug Targeting,1992, 2, 405-410). Further, an additional study tested the efficacy ofinterferon administered as part of a liposomal formulation to theadministration of interferon using an aqueous system, and concluded thatthe liposomal formulation was superior to aqueous administration (duPlessis et al., Antiviral Research, 1992, 18, 259-265).

Non-ionic liposomal systems have also been examined to determine theirutility in the delivery of drugs to the skin, in particular systemscomprising non-ionic surfactant and cholesterol. Non-ionic liposomalformulations comprising Novasome™ I (glyceryldilaurate/cholesterol/polyoxyethylene-10-stearyl ether) and Novasome™ II(glyceryl distearate/cholesterol/polyoxyethylene-10-stearyl ether) wereused to deliver cyclosporin-A into the dermis of mouse skin. Resultsindicated that such non-ionic liposomal systems were effective infacilitating the deposition of cyclosporin-A into different layers ofthe skin (Hu et al. S.T.P.Pharma. Sci., 1994, 4, 6, 466).

Liposomes also include “sterically stabilized” liposomes, a term which,as used herein, refers to liposomes comprising one or more specializedlipids that, when incorporated into liposomes, result in enhancedcirculation lifetimes relative to liposomes lacking such specializedlipids. Examples of sterically stabilized liposomes are those in whichpart of the vesicle-forming lipid portion of the liposome (A) comprisesone or more glycolipids, such as monosialoganglioside G_(M1), or (B) isderivatized with one or more hydrophilic polymers, such as apolyethylene glycol (PEG) moiety. While not wishing to be bound by anyparticular theory, it is thought in the art that, at least forsterically stabilized liposomes containing gangliosides, sphingomyelin,or PEG-derivatized lipids, the enhanced circulation half-life of thesesterically stabilized liposomes derives from a reduced uptake into cellsof the reticuloendothelial system (RES) (Allen et al., FEBS Letters,1987, 223, 42; Wu et al., Cancer Research, 1993, 53, 3765).

Various liposomes comprising one or more glycolipids are known in theart. Papahadjopoulos et al. (Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 1987, 507, 64)reported the ability of monosialoganglioside G_(M1), galactocerebrosidesulfate and phosphatidylinositol to improve blood half-lives ofliposomes. These findings were expounded upon by Gabizon et al. (Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 1988, 85, 6949). U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,028 and WO88/04924, both to Allen et al., disclose liposomes comprising (1)sphingomyelin and (2) the ganglioside G_(M1) or a galactocerebrosidesulfate ester. U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,152 (Webb et al.) discloses liposomescomprising sphingomyelin. Liposomes comprising1,2-sn-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine are disclosed in WO 97/13499 (Limet al.).

Many liposomes comprising lipids derivatized with one or morehydrophilic polymers, and methods of preparation thereof, are known inthe art. Sunamoto et al. (Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn., 1980, 53, 2778)described liposomes comprising a nonionic detergent, 2C₁₂15G, thatcontains a PEG moiety. Illum et al. (FEBS Lett., 1984, 167, 79) notedthat hydrophilic coating of polystyrene particles with polymeric glycolsresults in significantly enhanced blood half-lives. Syntheticphospholipids modified by the attachment of carboxylic groups ofpolyalkylene glycols (e.g., PEG) are described by Sears (U.S. Pat. Nos.4,426,330 and 4,534,899). Klibanov et al. (FEBS Lett., 1990, 268, 235)described experiments demonstrating that liposomes comprisingphosphatidylethanolamine (PE) derivatized with PEG or PEG stearate havesignificant increases in blood circulation half-lives. Blume et al.(Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1990, 1029, 91) extended suchobservations to other PEG-derivatized phospholipids, e.g., DSPE-PEG,formed from the combination of distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)and PEG. Liposomes having covalently bound PEG moieties on theirexternal surface are described in European Patent No. EP 0 445 131 B1and WO 90/04384 to Fisher. Liposome compositions containing 1-20 molepercent of PE derivatized with PEG, and methods of use thereof, aredescribed by Woodle et al. (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,013,556 and 5,356,633) andMartin et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,804 and European Patent No. EP 0 496813 B1). Liposomes comprising a number of other lipid-polymer conjugatesare disclosed in WO 91/05545 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,212 (both to Martinet al.) and in WO 94/20073 (Zalipsky et al.) Liposomes comprisingPEG-modified ceramide lipids are described in WO 96/10391 (Choi et al.).U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,540,935 (Miyazaki et al.) and 5,556,948 (Tagawa et al.)describe PEG-containing liposomes that can be further derivatized withfunctional moieties on their surfaces.

A limited number of liposomes comprising nucleic acids are known in theart. WO 96/40062 to Thierry et al. discloses methods for encapsulatinghigh molecular weight nucleic acids in liposomes. U.S. Pat. No.5,264,221 to Tagawa et al. discloses protein-bonded liposomes andasserts that the contents of such liposomes may include an antisenseRNA. U.S. Pat. No. 5,665,710 to Rahman et al. describes certain methodsof encapsulating oligodeoxynucleotides in liposomes. WO 97/04787 to Loveet al. discloses liposomes comprising antisense oligonucleotidestargeted to the raf gene.

Transfersomes are yet another type of liposomes, and are highlydeformable lipid aggregates which are attractive candidates for drugdelivery vehicles. Transfersomes may be described as lipid dropletswhich are so highly deformable that they are easily able to penetratethrough pores which are smaller than the droplet. Transfersomes areadaptable to the environment in which they are used, e.g. they areself-optimizing (adaptive to the shape of pores in the skin),self-repairing, frequently reach their targets without fragmenting, andoften self-loading. To make transfersomes it is possible to add surfaceedge-activators, usually surfactants, to a standard liposomalcomposition. Transfersomes have been used to deliver serum albumin tothe skin. The transfersome-mediated delivery of serum albumin has beenshown to be as effective as subcutaneous injection of a solutioncontaining serum albumin.

Surfactants find wide application in formulations such as emulsions(including microemulsions) and liposomes. The most common way ofclassifying and ranking the properties of the many different types ofsurfactants, both natural and synthetic, is by the use of thehydrophile/lipophile balance (HLB). The nature of the hydrophilic group(also known as the “head”) provides the most useful means forcategorizing the different surfactants used in formulations (Rieger, inPharmaceutical Dosage Forms, Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988,p. 285).

If the surfactant molecule is not ionized, it is classified as anonionic surfactant. Nonionic surfactants find wide application inpharmaceutical and cosmetic products and are usable over a wide range ofpH values. In general their HLB values range from 2 to about 18depending on their structure. Nonionic surfactants include nonionicesters such as ethylene glycol esters, propylene glycol esters, glycerylesters, polyglyceryl esters, sorbitan esters, sucrose esters, andethoxylated esters. Nonionic alkanolamides and ethers such as fattyalcohol ethoxylates, propoxylated alcohols, and ethoxylated/propoxylatedblock polymers are also included in this class. The polyoxyethylenesurfactants are the most popular members of the nonionic surfactantclass.

If the surfactant molecule carries a negative charge when it isdissolved or dispersed in water, the surfactant is classified asanionic. Anionic surfactants include carboxylates such as soaps, acyllactylates, acyl amides of amino acids, esters of sulfuric acid such asalkyl sulfates and ethoxylated alkyl sulfates, sulfonates such as alkylbenzene sulfonates, acyl isethionates, acyl taurates andsulfosuccinates, and phosphates. The most important members of theanionic surfactant class are the alkyl sulfates and the soaps.

If the surfactant molecule carries a positive charge when it isdissolved or dispersed in water, the surfactant is classified ascationic. Cationic surfactants include quaternary ammonium salts andethoxylated amines. The uaternary ammonium salts are the most usedmembers of this lass.

If the surfactant molecule has the ability to carry either a positive ornegative charge, the surfactant is classified as amphoteric. Amphotericsurfactants include acrylic acid derivatives, substituted alkylamides,N-alkylbetaines and phosphatides.

The use of surfactants in drug products, formulations and in emulsionshas been reviewed (Rieger, in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms, MarcelDekker, Inc., New York, N.Y., 1988, p. 285).

Penetration Enhancers

In one embodiment, the present invention employs various penetrationenhancers to effect the efficient delivery of nucleic acids,particularly oligonucleotides, to the skin of animals. Most drugs arepresent in solution in both ionized and nonionized forms. However,usually only lipid soluble or lipophilic drugs readily cross cellmembranes. It has been discovered that even non-lipophilic drugs maycross cell membranes if the membrane to be crossed is treated with apenetration enhancer. In addition to aiding the diffusion ofnon-lipophilic drugs across cell membranes, penetration enhancers alsoenhance the permeability of lipophilic drugs.

Penetration enhancers may be classified as belonging to one of fivebroad categories, i.e., surfactants, fatty acids, bile salts, chelatingagents, and non-chelating non-surfactants (Lee et al., Critical Reviewsin Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p.92). Each of the abovementioned classes of penetration enhancers are described below ingreater detail.

Surfactants: In connection with the present invention, surfactants (or“surface-active agents”) are chemical entities which, when dissolved inan aqueous solution, reduce the surface tension of the solution or theinterfacial tension between the aqueous solution and another liquid,with the result that absorption of oligonucleotides through the mucosais enhanced. In addition to bile salts and fatty acids, thesepenetration enhancers include, for example, sodium lauryl sulfate,polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether and polyoxyethylene-20-cetyl ether) (Leeet ale, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991,p.92); and perfluorochemical emulsions, such as FC-43. Takahashi et al.,J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 1988, 40, 252).

Fatty acids: Various fatty acids and their derivatives which act aspenetration enhancers include, for example, oleic acid, lauric acid,capric acid (n-decanoic acid), myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearicacid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, dicaprate, tricaprate, monoolein(1-monooleoyl-rac-glycerol), dilaurin, caprylic acid, arachidonic acid,glycerol 1-monocaprate, 1-dodecylazacycloheptan-2-one, acylcarnitines,acylcholines, C₁₋₁₀ alkyl esters thereof (e.g., methyl, isopropyl andt-butyl), and mono- and di-glycerides thereof (i.e., oleate, laurate,caprate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, linoleate, etc.) (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, p.92;Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1990,7, 1-33; El Hariri et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol., 1992, 44, 651-654).

Bile salts: The physiological role of bile includes the facilitation ofdispersion and absorption of lipids and fat-soluble vitamins (Brunton,Chapter 38 in: Goodman & Gilman's The Phamacological Basis ofTherapeutics, 9th Ed., Hardman et al. Eds., McGraw-Hill, New York, 1996,pp. 934-935). Various natural bile salts, and their syntheticderivatives, act as penetration enhancers. Thus the term “bile salts”includes any of the naturally occurring components of bile as well asany of their synthetic derivatives. The bile salts of the inventioninclude, for example, cholic acid (or its pharmaceutically acceptablesodium salt, sodium cholate), dehydrocholic acid (sodiumdehydrocholate), deoxycholic acid (sodium deoxycholate), glucholic acid(sodium glucholate), glycholic acid (sodium glycocholate),glycodeoxycholic acid (sodium glycodeoxycholate), taurocholic acid(sodium taurocholate), taurodeoxycholic acid (sodium taurodeoxycholate),chenodeoxycholic acid (sodium chenodeoxycholate), ursodeoxycholic acid(UDCA), sodium tauro-24,25-dihydro-fusidate (STDHF), sodiumglycodihydrofusidate and polyoxyethylene-9-lauryl ether (POE) (Lee etal., Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page92; Swinyard, Chapter 39 In: Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 18thEd., Gennaro, ed., Mack Publishing Co., Easton, Pa., 1990, pages782-783; Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug CarrierSystems, 1990, 7, 1-33; Yamamoto et al., J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 1992,263, 25; Yamashita et al., J. Pharm. Sci., 1990, 79, 579-583).

Chelating Agents: Chelating agents, as used in connection with thepresent invention, can be defined as compounds that remove metallic ionsfrom solution by forming complexes therewith, with the result thatabsorption of oligonucleotides through the mucosa is enhanced. Withregards to their use as penetration enhancers in the present invention,chelating agents have the added advantage of also serving as DNaseinhibitors, as most characterized DNA nucleases require a divalent metalion for catalysis and are thus inhibited by chelating agents (Jarrett,J. Chromatogr., 1993, 618, 315-339). Chelating agents of the inventioninclude but are not limited to disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate(EDTA), citric acid, salicylates (e.g., sodium salicylate,5-methoxysalicylate and homovanilate), N-acyl derivatives of collagen,laureth-9 and N-amino acyl derivatives of beta-diketones (enamines)(Leeet al., Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page92; Muranishi, Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems,1990, 7, 1-33; Buur et al., J. Control Rel., 1990, 14, 43-51).

Non-chelating non-surfactants: As used herein, non-chelatingnon-surfactant penetration enhancing compounds can be defined ascompounds that demonstrate insignificant activity as chelating agents oras surfactants but that nonetheless enhance absorption ofoligonucleotides through the alimentary mucosa (Muranishi, CriticalReviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1990, 7, 1-33). This classof penetration enhancers include, for example, unsaturated cyclic ureas,1-alkyl- and 1-alkenylazacyclo-alkanone derivatives (Lee et al.,Critical Reviews in Therapeutic Drug Carrier Systems, 1991, page 92);and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents such as diclofenac sodium,indomethacin and phenylbutazone (Yamashita et al., J. Pharm. Pharmacol.,1987, 39, 621-626).

Agents that enhance uptake of oligonucleotides at the cellular level mayalso be added to the pharmaceutical and other compositions of thepresent invention. For example, cationic lipids, such as lipofectin(Junichi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,188), cationic glycerol derivatives,and polycationic molecules, such as polylysine (Lollo et al., PCTApplication WO 97/30731), are also known to enhance the cellular uptakeof oligonucleotides.

Other agents may be utilized to enhance the penetration of theadministered nucleic acids, including glycols such as ethylene glycoland propylene glycol, pyrrols such as 2-pyrrol, azones, and terpenessuch as limonene and menthone.

Carriers

Certain compositions of the present invention also incorporate carriercompounds in the formulation. As used herein, “carrier compound” or“carrier” can refer to a nucleic acid, or analog thereof, which is inert(i.e., does not possess biological activity per se) but is recognized asa nucleic acid by in vivo processes that reduce the bioavailability of anucleic acid having biological activity by, for example, degrading thebiologically active nucleic acid or promoting its removal fromcirculation. The coadministration of a nucleic acid and a carriercompound, typically with an excess of the latter substance, can resultin a substantial reduction of the amount of nucleic acid recovered inthe liver, kidney or other extracirculatory reservoirs, presumably dueto competition between the carrier compound and the nucleic acid for acommon receptor. For example, the recovery of a partiallyphosphorothioate oligonucleotide in hepatic tissue can be reduced whenit is coadministered with polyinosinic acid, dextran sulfate,polycytidic acid or 4-acetamido-4′isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2′-disulfonicacid (Miyao et al., Antisense Res. Dev., 1995, 5, 115-121; Takakura etal., Antisense & Nucl. Acid Drug Dev., 1996, 6, 177-183).

Excipients

In contrast to a carrier compound, a “pharmaceutical carrier” or“excipient” is a pharmaceutically acceptable solvent, suspending agentor any other pharmacologically inert vehicle for delivering one or morenucleic acids to an animal. The excipient may be liquid or solid and isselected, with the planned manner of administration in mind, so as toprovide for the desired bulk, consistency, etc., when combined with anucleic acid and the other components of a given pharmaceuticalcomposition. Typical pharmaceutical carriers include, but are notlimited to, binding agents (e.g., pregelatinized maize starch,polyvinylpyrrolidone or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, etc.); fillers(e.g., lactose and other sugars, microcrystalline cellulose, pectin,gelatin, calcium sulfate, ethyl cellulose, polyacrylates or calciumhydrogen phosphate, etc.); lubricants (e.g., magnesium stearate, talc,silica, colloidal silicon dioxide, stearic acid, metallic stearates,hydrogenated vegetable oils, corn starch, polyethylene glycols, sodiumbenzoate, sodium acetate, etc.); disintegrants (e.g., starch, sodiumstarch glycolate, etc.); and wetting agents (e.g., sodium laurylsulphate, etc.).

Pharmaceutically acceptable organic or inorganic excipient suitable fornon-parenteral administration which do not deleteriously react withnucleic acids can also be used to formulate the compositions of thepresent invention. Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable carriersinclude, but are not limited to, water, salt solutions, alcohols,polyethylene glycols, gelatin, lactose, amylose, magnesium stearate,talc, silicic acid, viscous paraffin, hydroxymethylcellulose,polyvinylpyrrolidone and the like.

Formulations for topical administration of nucleic acids may includesterile and non-sterile aqueous solutions, non-aqueous solutions incommon solvents such as alcohols, or solutions of the nucleic acids inliquid or solid oil bases. The solutions may also contain buffers,diluents and other suitable additives. Pharmaceutically acceptableorganic or inorganic excipients suitable for non-parenteraladministration which do not deleteriously react with nucleic acids canbe used.

Suitable pharmaceutically acceptable excipients include, but are notlimited to, water, salt solutions, alcohol, polyethylene glycols,gelatin, lactose, amylose, magnesium stearate, talc, silicic acid,viscous paraffin, hydroxymethylcellulose, polyvinylpyrrolidone and thelike.

Other Components

The compositions of the present invention may additionally contain otheradjunct components conventionally found in pharmaceutical compositions,at their art-established usage levels. Thus, for example, thecompositions may contain additional, compatible, pharmaceutically-activematerials such as, for example, antipruritics, astringents, localanesthetics or anti-inflammatory agents, or may contain additionalmaterials useful in physically formulating various dosage forms of thecompositions of the present invention, such as dyes, flavoring agents,preservatives, antioxidants, opacifiers, thickening agents andstabilizers. However, such materials, when added, should not undulyinterfere with the biological activities of the components of thecompositions of the present invention. The formulations can besterilized and, if desired, mixed with auxiliary agents, e.g.,lubricants, preservatives, stabilizers, wetting agents, emulsifiers,salts for influencing osmotic pressure, buffers, colorings, flavoringsand/or aromatic substances and the like which do not deleteriouslyinteract with the nucleic acid(s) of the formulation.

Aqueous suspensions may contain substances which increase the viscosityof the suspension including, for example, sodium carboxymethylcellulose,sorbitol and/or dextran. The suspension may also contain stabilizers.

Certain embodiments of the invention provide pharmaceutical compositionscontaining (a) one or more antisense compounds and (b) one or more otherchemotherapeutic agents which function by a non-antisense mechanism.Examples of such chemotherapeutic agents include, but are not limitedto, anticancer drugs such as daunorubicin, dactinomycin, doxorubicin,bleomycin, mitomycin, nitrogen mustard, chlorambucil, melphalan,cyclophosphamide, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, cytarabine (CA),5-fluorouracil (5-FU), floxuridine (5-FUdR), methotrexate (MTX),colchicine, vincristine, vinblastine, etoposide, teniposide, cisplatinand diethylstilbestrol (DES). See, generally, The Merck Manual ofDiagnosis and Therapy, 15th Ed., Berkow et al., eds., 1987, Rahway,N.J., pages 1206-1228). Anti-inflammatory drugs, including but notlimited to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids, andantiviral drugs, including but not limited to ribivirin, vidarabine,acyclovir and ganciclovir, may also be combined in compositions of theinvention. See, generally, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy,15th Ed., Berkow et al., eds., 1987, Rahway, N.J., pages 2499-2506 and46-49, respectively). Other non-antisense chemotherapeutic agents arealso within the scope of this invention. Two or more combined compoundsmay be used together or sequentially.

In another related embodiment, compositions of the invention may containone or more antisense compounds, particularly oligonucleotides, targetedto a first nucleic acid and one or more additional antisense compoundstargeted to a second nucleic acid target. Numerous examples ofaantisense compounds are known in the art. Two or more combinedcompounds may be used together or sequentially.

The formulation of therapeutic compositions and their subsequentadministration is believed to be within the skill of those in the art.Dosing is dependent on severity and responsiveness of the disease stateto be treated, with the course of treatment lasting from several days toseveral months, or until a cure is effected or a diminution of thedisease state is achieved. Optimal dosing schedules can be calculatedfrom measurements of drug accumulation in the body of the patient.Persons of ordinary skill can easily determine optimum dosages, dosingmethodologies and repetition rates. Optimum dosages may vary dependingon the relative potency of individual oligonucleotides, and cangenerally be estimated based on EC₅₀ s found to be effective in in vitroand in vivo animal models. In general, dosage is from 0.01 ug to 100 gper kg of body weight, and may be given once or more daily, weekly,monthly or yearly, or even once every 2 to 20 years. Persons of ordinaryskill in the art can easily estimate repetition rates for dosing basedon measured residence times and concentrations of the drug in bodilyfluids or tissues. Following successful treatment, it may be desirableto have the patient undergo maintenance therapy to prevent therecurrence of the disease state, wherein the oligonucleotide isadministered in maintenance doses, ranging from 0.01 ug to 100 g per kgof body weight, once or more daily, to once every 20 years.

While the present invention has been described with specificity inaccordance with certain of its preferred embodiments, the followingexamples serve only to illustrate the invention and are not intended tolimit the same.

EXAMPLES Example 1 Nucleoside Phosphoramidites for OligonucleotideSynthesis

Deoxy and 2′-alkoxy amidites

2′-Deoxy and 2′-methoxy beta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites werepurchased from commercial sources (e.g. Chemgenes, Needham MA or GlenResearch, Inc. Sterling Va.). Other 2′-O-alkoxy substituted nucleosideamidites are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,351, hereinincorporated by reference. For oligonucleotides synthesized using2′-alkoxy amidites, the standard cycle for unmodified oligonucleotideswas utilized, except the wait step after pulse delivery of tetrazole andbase was increased to 360 seconds.

Oligonucleotides containing 5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Me-C)nucleotides were synthesized according to published methods [Sanghvi,et. al., Nucleic Acids Research, 1993, 21, 3197-3203] using commerciallyavailable phosphoramidites (Glen Research, Sterling Va. or ChemGenes,Needham Ma.).

2′-Fluoro amidites

2′-Fluorodeoxyadenosine amidites

2′-fluoro oligonucleotides were synthesized as described previously[Kawasaki, et. al., [J. Med. Chem., 1993, 36, 831-841] and U.S. Pat. No.5,670,633, herein incorporated by reference. Briefly, the protectednucleoside N6-benzoyl-2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroadenosine was synthesizedutilizing commercially available 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine asstarting material and by modifying literature procedures whereby the2′-alpha-fluoro atom is introduced by a S_(N)2-displacement of a2′-beta-trityl group. Thus N6-benzoyl-9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladeninewas selectively protected in moderate yield as the3′,5′-ditetrahydropyranyl (THP) intermediate. Deprotection of the THPand N6-benzoyl groups was accomplished using standard methodologies andstandard methods were used to obtain the 5′-dimethoxytrityl-(DMT) and5′-DMT-3′-phosphoramidite intermediates.

2′-Fluorodeoxyguanosine

The synthesis of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroguanosine was accomplished usingtetraisopropyldisiloxanyl (TPDS) protected9-beta-D-arabinofuranosylguanine as starting material, and conversion tothe intermediate diisobutyrylarabinofuranosylguanosine. Deprotection ofthe TPDS group was followed by protection of the hydroxyl group with THPto give diisobutyryl di-THP protected arabinofuranosylguanine. SelectiveO-deacylation and triflation was followed by treatment of the crudeproduct with fluoride, then deprotection of the THP groups. Standardmethodologies were used to obtain the 5′-DMT- and5′-DMT-3′-phosphoramidites.

2′-Fluorouridine

Synthesis of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluorouridine was accomplished by themodification of a literature procedure in which2,2′-anhydro-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil was treated with 70%hydrogen fluoride-pyridine. Standard procedures were used to obtain the5′-DMT and 5′-DMT-3′phosphoramidites.

2′-Fluorodeoxycytidine

2′-deoxy-2′-fluorocytidine was synthesized via amination of2′-deoxy-2′-fluorouridine, followed by selective protection to giveN4-benzoyl-2′-deoxy-2′-fluorocytidine. Standard procedures were used toobtain the 5′-DMT and 5′-DMT-3′phosphoramidites.

2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl) modified amidites

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-substituted nucleoside amidites are prepared asfollows, or alternatively, as per the methods of Martin, P., HelveticaChimica Acta, 1995, 78, 486-504.

2,2′-Anhydro[1-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-methyluridine]

5-Methyluridine (ribosylthymine, commercially available through Yamasa,Choshi, Japan) (72.0 g, 0.279M), diphenyl-carbonate (90.0 g, 0.420M) andsodium bicarbonate (2.0 g, 0.024M) were added to DMF (300 mL). Themixture was heated to reflux, with stirring, allowing the evolved carbondioxide gas to be released in a controlled manner. After 1 hour, theslightly darkened solution was concentrated under reduced pressure. Theresulting syrup was poured into diethylether (2.5 L), with stirring. Theproduct formed a gum. The ether was decanted and the residue wasdissolved in a minimum amount of methanol (ca. 400 mL). The solution waspoured into fresh ether (2.5 L) to yield a stiff gum. The ether wasdecanted and the gum was dried in a vacuum oven (60° C. at 1 mm Hg for24 h) to give a solid that was crushed to a light tan powder (57 g, 85%crude yield). The NMR spectrum was consistent with the structure,contaminated with phenol as its sodium salt (ca. 5%). The material wasused as is for further reactions (or it can be purified further bycolumn chromatography using a gradient of methanol in ethyl acetate(10-25%) to give a white solid, mp 222-4° C.).

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5-methyluridine

2,2′-Anhydro-5-methyluridine (195 g, 0.81M), tris(2-methoxyethyl)borate(231 g, 0.98M) and 2-methoxyethanol (1.2 L) were added to a 2 Lstainless steel pressure vessel and placed in a pre-heated oil bath at160° C. After heating for 48 hours at 155-160° C., the vessel was openedand the solution evaporated to dryness and triturated with MeOH (200mL). The residue was suspended in hot acetone (1 L). The insoluble saltswere filtered, washed with acetone (150 mL) and the filtrate evaporated.The residue (280 g) was dissolved in CH₃CN (600 mL) and evaporated. Asilica gel column (3 kg) was packed in CH₂Cl₂/acetone/MeOH (20:5:3)containing 0.5% Et₃NH. The residue was dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (250 mL) andadsorbed onto silica (150 g) prior to loading onto the column. Theproduct was eluted with the packing solvent to give 160 g (63%) ofproduct. Additional material was obtained by reworking impure fractions.

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5-methyluridine (160 g, 0.506M) was co-evaporated withpyridine (250 mL) and the dried residue dissolved in pyridine (1.3 L). Afirst aliquot of dimethoxytrityl chloride (94.3 g, 0.278M) was added andthe mixture stirred at room temperature for one hour. A second aliquotof dimethoxytrityl chloride (94.3 g, 0.278M) was added and the reactionstirred for an additional one hour. Methanol (170 mL) was then added tostop the reaction. HPLC showed the presence of approximately 70%product. The solvent was evaporated and triturated with CH₃CN (200 mL).The residue was dissolved in CHCl₃ (1.5 L) and extracted with 2×500 mLof saturated NaHCO₃ and 2×500 mL of saturated NaCl. The organic phasewas dried over Na₂SO₄, filtered and evaporated. 275 g of residue wasobtained. The residue was purified on a 3.5 kg silica gel column, packedand eluted with EtOAc/hexane/acetone (5:5:1) containing 0.5% Et₃NH. Thepure fractions were evaporated to give 164 g of product. Approximately20 g additional was obtained from the impure fractions to give a totalyield of 183 g (57%).

3′-O-Acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine (106 g, 0.167M),DMF/pyridine (750 mL of a 3:1 mixture prepared from 562 mL of DMF and188 mL of pyridine) and acetic anhydride (24.38 mL, 0.258M) werecombined and stirred at room temperature for 24 hours. The reaction wasmonitored by TLC by first quenching the TLC sample with the addition ofMeOH. Upon completion of the reaction, as judged by TLC, MeOH (50 mL)was added and the mixture evaporated at 35° C. The residue was dissolvedin CHCl₃ (800 mL) and extracted with 2×200 mL of saturated sodiumbicarbonate and 2×200 mL of saturated NaCl. The water layers were backextracted with 200 mL of CHCl₃. The combined organics were dried withsodium sulfate and evaporated to give 122 g of residue (approx. 90%product). The residue was purified on a 3.5 kg silica gel column andeluted using EtOAc/hexane(4:1). Pure product fractions were evaporatedto yield 96 g (84%). An additional 1.5 g was recovered from laterfractions.

3′-O-Acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyl-4-triazoleuridine

A first solution was prepared by dissolving3′-O-acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5,-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyluridine (96g, 0.144M) in CH₃CN (700 mL) and set aside. Triethylamine (189 mL,1.44M) was added to a solution of triazole (90 g, 1.3 M) in CH₃CN (1 L),cooled to −5° C. and stirred for 0.5 h using an overhead stirrer. POCl₃was added dropwise, over a 30 minute period, to the stirred solutionmaintained at 0-10° C., and the resulting mixture stirred for anadditional 2 hours. The first solution was added dropwise, over a 45minute period, to the latter solution. The resulting reaction mixturewas stored overnight in a cold room. Salts were filtered from thereaction mixture and the solution was evaporated. The residue wasdissolved in EtOAc (1 L) and the insoluble solids were removed byfiltration. The filtrate was washed with 1×300 mL of NaHCO₃ and 2×300 mLof saturated NaCl, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated. The residuewas triturated with EtOAc to give the title compound.

2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine

A solution of3′-O-acetyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methyl-4-triazoleuridine(103 g, 0.141 M) in dioxane (500 mL) and NH₄OH (30 mL) was stirred atroom temperature for 2 hours. The dioxane solution was evaporated andthe residue azeotroped with MeOH (2×200 mL). The residue was dissolvedin MeOH (300 mL) and transferred to a 2 liter stainless steel pressurevessel. MeOH (400 mL) saturated with NH₃ gas was added and the vesselheated to 100° C. for 2 hours (TLC showed complete conversion). Thevessel contents were evaporated to dryness and the residue was dissolvedin EtOAc (500 mL) and washed once with saturated NaCl (200 mL). Theorganics were dried over sodium sulfate and the solvent was evaporatedto give 85 g (95%) of the title compound.

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine

2′-O-Methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine (85 g, 0.134M)was dissolved in DMF (800 mL) and benzoic anhydride (37.2 g, 0.165M) wasadded with stirring. After stirring for 3 hours, TLC showed the reactionto be approximately 95% complete. The solvent was evaporated and theresidue azeotroped with MeOH (200 mL). The residue was dissolved inCHCl₃ (700 mL) and extracted with saturated NaHCO₃ (2×300 mL) andsaturated NaCl (2×300 mL), dried over MgSO₄ and evaporated to give aresidue (96 g). The residue was chromatographed on a 1.5 kg silicacolumn using EtOAc/hexane (1:1) containing 0.5% Et₃NH as the elutingsolvent. The pure product fractions were evaporated to give 90 g (90%)of the title compound.

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine-3′-amidite

N4-Benzoyl-2′-O-methoxyethyl-5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-5-methylcytidine (74g, 0.10M) was dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (1 L). Tetrazole diisopropylamine (7.1g) and 2-cyanoethoxy-tetra(isopropyl)phosphite (40.5 mL, 0.123M) wereadded with stirring, under a nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting mixturewas stirred for 20 hours at room temperature (TLC showed the reaction tobe 95% complete). The reaction mixture was extracted with saturatedNaHCO₃ (1×300 mL) and saturated NaCl (3×300 mL). The aqueous washes wereback-extracted with CH₂Cl₂ (300 mL), and the extracts were combined,dried over MgSO₄ and concentrated. The residue obtained waschromatographed on a 1.5 kg silica column using EtOAc/hexane (3:1) asthe eluting solvent. The pure fractions were combined to give 90.6 g(87%) of the title compound.

2′-O-(Aminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites and2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Dimethylaminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Dimethylaminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites [also known in the artas 2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites] are prepared asdescribed in the following paragraphs. Adenosine, cytidine and guanosinenucleoside amidites are prepared similarly to the thymidine(5-methyluridine) except the exocyclic amines are protected with abenzoyl moiety in the case of adenosine and cytidine and with isobutyrylin the case of guanosine.

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine

O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (Pro. Bio. Sint., Varese, Italy, 100.0 g,0.416 mmol), dimethylaminopyridine (0.66 g, 0.013 eq, 0.0054 mmol) weredissolved in dry pyridine (500 ml) at ambient temperature under an argonatmosphere and with mechanical stirring. tert-Butyldiphenylchlorosilane(125.8 g, 119.0 mL, 1.1 eq, 0.458 mmol) was added in one portion. Thereaction was stirred for 16 h at ambient temperature. TLC (Rf 0.22,ethyl acetate) indicated a complete reaction. The solution wasconcentrated under reduced pressure to a thick oil. This was partitionedbetween dichloromethane (1 L) and saturated sodium bicarbonate (2×1 L)and brine (1 L). The organic layer was dried over sodium sulfate andconcentrated under reduced pressure to a thick oil. The oil wasdissolved in a 1:1 mixture of ethyl acetate and ethyl ether (600 mL) andthe solution was cooled to −10° C. The resulting crystalline product wascollected by filtration, washed with ethyl ether (3×200 mL) and dried(40° C., 1 mm Hg, 24 h) to 149 g (74.8%) of white solid. TLC and NMRwere consistent with pure product.

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

In a 2 L stainless steel, unstirred pressure reactor was added borane intetrahydrofuran (1.0M, 2.0 eq, 622 mL). In the fume hood and with manualstirring, ethylene glycol (350 mL, excess) was added cautiously at firstuntil the evolution of hydrogen gas subsided.5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-O²-2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (149 g, 0.311mol) and sodium bicarbonate (0.074 g, 0.003 eq) were added with manualstirring. The reactor was sealed and heated in an oil bath until aninternal temperature of 160 ° C. was reached and then maintained for 16h (pressure<100 psig). The reaction vessel was cooled to ambient andopened. TLC (Rf 0.67 for desired product and Rf 0.82 for ara-T sideproduct, ethyl acetate) indicated about 70% conversion to the product.In order to avoid additional side product formation, the reaction wasstopped, concentrated under reduced pressure (10 to 1 mm Hg) in a warmwater bath (40-100° C.) with the more extreme conditions used to removethe ethylene glycol. [Alternatively, once the low boiling solvent isgone, the remaining solution can be partitioned between ethyl acetateand water. The product will be in the organic phase.] The residue waspurified by column chromatography (2 kg silica gel, ethylacetate-hexanes gradient 1:1 to 4:1). The appropriate fractions werecombined, stripped and dried to product as a white crisp foam (84 g,50%), contaminated starting material (17.4 g) and pure reusable startingmaterial 20 g. The yield based on starting material less pure recoveredstarting material was 58%. TLC and NMR were consistent with 99% pureproduct.

2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-(2-hydroxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (20g, 36.98 mmol) was mixed with triphenylphosphine (11.63 g, 44.36 mmol)and N-hydroxyphthalimide (7.24 g, 44.36 mmol). It was then dried overP₂O₅ under high vacuum for two days at 40° C. The reaction mixture wasflushed with argon and dry THF (369.8 mL, Aldrich, sure seal bottle) wasadded to get a clear solution. Diethyl-azodicarboxylate (6.98 mL, 44.36mmol) was added dropwise to the reaction mixture. The rate of additionis maintained such that resulting deep red coloration is just dischargedbefore adding the next drop. After the addition was complete, thereaction was stirred for 4 hrs. By that time TLC showed the completionof the reaction (ethylacetate:hexane, 60:40). The solvent was evaporatedin vacuum. Residue obtained was placed on a flash column and eluted withethyl acetate:hexane (60:40), to get2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine aswhite foam (21.819 g, 86%).

5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine

2′-O-([2-phthalimidoxy)ethyl]-5′-t-butyldiphenylsilyl-5-methyluridine(3.1 g, 4.5 mmol) was dissolved in dry CH₂Cl₂ (4.5 mL) andmethylhydrazine (300 mL, 4.64 mmol) was added dropwise at −10° C. to 0°C. After 1 h the mixture was filtered, the filtrate was washed with icecold CH₂Cl₂ and the combined organic phase was washed with water, brineand dried over anhydrous Na₂SO₄. The solution was concentrated to get2′-O-(aminooxyethyl) thymidine, which was then dissolved in MeOH (67.5mL). To this formaldehyde (20% aqueous solution, w/w, 1.1 eq.) was addedand the resulting mixture was stirred for 1 h. Solvent was removed undervacuum; residue chromatographed to get5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine as white foam (1.95 g, 78%).

5′-O-tert-Butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridine

5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[(2-formadoximinooxy)ethyl]-5-methyluridine(1.77 g, 3.12 mmol) was dissolved in a solution of 1M pyridiniump-toluenesulfonate (PPTS) in dry MeOH (30.6 mL). Sodium cyanoborohydride(0.39 g, 6.13 mmol) was added to this solution at 10° C. under inertatmosphere. The reaction mixture was stirred for 10 minutes at 10° C.After that the reaction vessel was removed from the ice bath and stirredat room temperature for 2 h, the reaction monitored by TLC (5% MeOH inCH₂Cl₂). Aqueous NAHCO₃ solution (5%, 10 mL) was added and extractedwith ethyl acetate (2×20 mL). Ethyl acetate phase was dried overanhydrous Na₂SO₄, evaporated to dryness. Residue was dissolved in asolution of 1M PPTS in MeOH (30.6 mL). Formaldehyde (20% w/w, 30 mL,3.37 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred at roomtemperature for 10 minutes. Reaction mixture cooled to 10° C. in an icebath, sodium cyanoborohydride (0.39 g, 6.13 mmol) was added and reactionmixture stirred at 10° C. for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the reactionmixture was removed from the ice bath and stirred at room temperaturefor 2 hrs. To the reaction mixture 5% NAHCO₃ (25 mL) solution was addedand extracted with ethyl acetate (2×25 mL). Ethyl acetate layer wasdried over anhydrous Na₂ SO₄ and evaporated to dryness. The residueobtained was purified by flash column chromatography and eluted with 5%MEOH in CH₂Cl₂ to get5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridineas a white foam (14.6 g, 80%).

2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

Triethylamine trihydrofluoride (3.91 mL, 24.0 mmol) was dissolved in dryTHF and triethylamine (1.67 mL, 12 mmol, dry, kept over KOH). Thismixture of triethylamine-2HF was then added to5′-O-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-2′-O-[N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl]-5-methyluridine(1.40 g, 2.4 mmol) and stirred at room temperature for 24 hrs. Reactionwas monitored by TLC (5% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂). Solvent was removed undervacuum and the residue placed on a flash column and eluted with 10% MeOHin CH₂Cl₂ to get 2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (766 mg,92.5%).

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine

2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (750 mg, 2.17 mmol) wasdried over P₂O₅ under high vacuum overnight at 40° C. It was thenco-evaporated with anhydrous pyridine (20 mL). The residue obtained wasdissolved in pyridine (11 mL) under argon atmosphere.4-dimethylaminopyridine (26.5 mg, 2.60 mmol), 4,4′-dimethoxytritylchloride (880 mg, 2.60 mmol) was added to the mixture and the reactionmixture was stirred at room temperature until all of the startingmaterial disappeared. Pyridine was removed under vacuum and the residuechromatographed and eluted with 10% MeOH in CH₂Cl₂ (containing a fewdrops of pyridine) to get5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylamino-oxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (1.13 g, 80%).

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]

5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine (1.08 g, 1.67mmol) was co-evaporated with toluene (20 mL). To the residueN,N-diisopropylamine tetrazonide (0.29 g, 1.67 mmol) was added and driedover P₂O₅ under high vacuum overnight at 40° C. Then the reactionmixture was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile (8.4 mL) and2-cyanoethyl-N,N,N¹,N¹-tetraisopropylphosphoramidite (2.12 mL, 6.08mmol) was added. The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperaturefor 4 hrs under inert atmosphere. The progress of the reaction wasmonitored by TLC (hexane:ethyl acetate 1:1). The solvent was evaporated,then the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate (70 mL) and washed with5% aqueous NaHCO₃ (40 mL). Ethyl acetate layer was dried over anhydrousNa₂SO₄ and concentrated. Residue obtained was chromatographed (ethylacetate as eluent) to get5′-O-DMT-2′-O-(2-N,N-dimethylaminooxyethyl)-5-methyluridine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]as a foam (1.04 g, 74.9%).

2′-(Aminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites

2′-(Aminooxyethoxy) nucleoside amidites [also known in the art as2′-O-(aminooxyethyl) nucleoside amidites] are prepared as described inthe following paragraphs. Adenosine, cytidine and thymidine nucleosideamidites are prepared similarly.

N2-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite]

The 2′-O-aminooxyethyl guanosine analog may be obtained by selective2′-O-alkylation of diaminopurine riboside. Multigram quantities ofdiaminopurine riboside may be purchased from Schering AG (Berlin) toprovide 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl) diaminopurine riboside along with a minoramount of the 3′-O-isomer. 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl) diaminopurine ribosidemay be resolved and converted to 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)guanosine bytreatment with adenosine deaminase. (McGee, D. P. C., Cook, P. D.,Guinosso, C. J., WO 94/02501 A1 940203.) Standard protection proceduresshould afford 2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosineand2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosinewhich may be reduced to provide2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-²′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine.As before the hydroxyl group may be displaced by N-hydroxyphthalimidevia a Mitsunobu reaction, and the protected nucleoside mayphosphitylated as usual to yield2-N-isobutyryl-6-O-diphenylcarbamoyl-2′-O-(2-ethylacetyl)-5′-O-(4,4′-dimethoxytrityl)guanosine-3′-[(2-cyanoethyl)-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite].

2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy (2′-DMAEOE) nucleoside amidites

2′-dimethylaminoethoxyethoxy nucleoside amidites (also known in the artas 2′-O-dimethylaminoethoxyethyl, i.e., 2′—O—CH₂—O—CH₂—N(CH₂)₂, or2′-DMAEOE nucleoside amidites) are prepared as follows. Other nucleosideamidites are prepared similarly.

2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethyl]-5-methyl uridine

2[2-(Dimethylamino)ethoxy]ethanol (Aldrich, 6.66 g, 50 mmol) is slowlyadded to a solution of borane in tetrahydrofuran (1M, 10 mL, 10 mmol)with stirring in a 100 mL bomb. Hydrogen gas evolves as the soliddissolves. O²-,2′-anhydro-5-methyluridine (1.2 g, 5 mmol), and sodiumbicarbonate (2.5 mg) are added and the bomb is sealed, placed in an oilbath and heated to 155° C. for 26 hours. The bomb is cooled to roomtemperature and opened. The crude solution is concentrated and theresidue partitioned between water (200 mL) and hexanes (200 mL). Theexcess phenol is extracted into the hexane layer. The aqueous layer isextracted with ethyl acetate (3×200 mL) and the combined organic layersare washed once with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate andconcentrated. The residue is columned on silica gel usingmethanol/methylene chloride 1:20 (which has 2% triethylamine) as theeluent. As the column fractions are concentrated a colorless solid formswhich is collected to give the title compound as a white solid.

5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy) ethyl)]-5-methyluridine

To 0.5 g (1.3 mmol) of2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylamino-ethoxy)ethyl)]-5-methyl uridine in anhydrouspyridine (8 mL), triethylamine (0.36 mL) and dimethoxytrityl chloride(DMT-Cl, 0.87 g, 2 eq.) are added and stirred for 1 hour. The reactionmixture is poured into water (200 mL) and extracted with CH₂Cl₂ (2×200mL). The combined CH₂Cl₂ layers are washed with saturated NaHCO₃solution, followed by saturated NaCl solution and dried over anhydroussodium sulfate. Evaporation of the solvent followed by silica gelchromatography using MeOH:CH₂Cl₂:Et₃N (20:1, v/v, with 1% triethylamine)gives the title compound.

5′-O-Dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)-ethyl]5-methyluridine-3′-O-(cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropyl)phosphoramidite

Diisopropylaminotetrazolide (0.6 g) and 2-cyanoethoxy-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite (1.1 mL, 2 eq.) are added to a solution of5′-O-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-[2(2-N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy)ethyl)]-5-methyluridine(2.17 g, 3 mmol) dissolved in CH₂Cl₂ (20 mL) under an atmosphere ofargon. The reaction mixture is stirred overnight and the solventevaporated. The resulting residue is purified by silica gel flash columnchromatography with ethyl acetate as the eluent to give the titlecompound.

Example 2

Oligonucleotide Synthesis

Unsubstituted and substituted phosphodiester (P═O) oligonucleotides aresynthesized on an automated DNA synthesizer (Applied Biosystems model380B) using standard phosphoramidite chemistry with oxidation by iodine.

Phosphorothioates (P═S) are synthesized as for the phosphodiesteroligonucleotides except the standard oxidation bottle was replaced by0.2 M solution of 3H-1,2-benzodithiole-3-one 1,1-dioxide in acetonitrilefor the stepwise thiation of the phosphite linkages. The thiation waitstep was increased to 68 sec and was followed by the capping step. Aftercleavage from the CPG column and deblocking in concentrated ammoniumhydroxide at 55° C. (18 h), the oligonucleotides were purified byprecipitating twice with 2.5 volumes of ethanol from a 0.5M NaClsolution.

Phosphinate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. No.5,508,270, herein incorporated by reference.

Alkyl phosphonate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S.Pat. No. 4,469,863, herein incorporated by reference.

3′-Deoxy-3′-methylene phosphonate oligonucleotides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,610,289 or 5,625,050, herein incorporatedby reference.

Phosphoramidite oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.Nos., 5,256,775 or 5,366,878, herein incorporated by reference.

Alkylphosphonothioate oligonucleotides are prepared as described inpublished PCT applications PCT/US94/00902 and PCT/US93/06976 (publishedas WO 94/17093 and WO 94/02499, respectively), herein incorporated byreference.

3′-Deoxy-3′-amino phosphoramidate oligonucleotides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,925, herein incorporated by reference.

Phosphotriester oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,023,243, herein incorporated by reference.

Borano phosphate oligonucleotides are prepared as described in U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,130,302 and 5,177,198, both herein incorporated by reference.

Example 3

Oligonucleoside Synthesis

Methylenemethylimino linked oligonucleosides, also identified as MMIlinked oligonucleosides, methylenedimethylhydrazo linkedoligonucleosides, also identified as MDH linked oligonucleosides, andmethylenecarbonylamino linked oligonucleosides, also identified asamide-3 linked oligonucleosides, and methyleneaminocarbonyl linkedoligonucleosides, also identified as amide-4 linked oligonucleosides, aswell as mixed backbone compounds having, for instance, alternating MMIand P═O or P═S linkages are prepared as described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,378,825, 5,386,023, 5,489,677, 5,602,240 and 5,610,289, all of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

Formacetal and thioformacetal linked oligonucleosides are prepared asdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,264,562 and 5,264,564, herein incorporatedby reference.

Ethylene oxide linked oligonucleosides are prepared as described in U.S.Pat. No. 5,223,618, herein incorporated by reference.

Example 4

PNA Synthesis

Peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) are prepared in accordance with any of thevarious procedures referred to in Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA):Synthesis, Properties and Potential Applications, Bioorganic & MedicinalChemistry, 1996, 4, 5-23. They may also be prepared in accordance withU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,539,082, 5,700,922, and 5,719,262, herein incorporatedby reference.

Example 5

Synthesis of Chimeric Oligonucleotides

Chimeric oligonucleotides, oligonucleosides or mixedoligonucleotides/oligonucleosides of the invention can be of severaldifferent types. These include a first type wherein the “gap” segment oflinked nucleosides is positioned between 5′ and 3′ “wing” segments oflinked nucleosides and a second “open end” type wherein the “gap”segment is located at either the 3′ or the 5′ terminus of the oligomericcompound. Oligonucleotides of the first type are also known in the artas “gapmers” or gapped oligonucleotides. Oligonucleotides of the secondtype are also known in the art as “hemimers” or “wingmers”.

[2′-O—Me]-[2′-deoxy]-[2′-O—Me] Chimeric PhosphorothioateOligonucleotides

Chimeric oligonucleotides having 2′-O-alkyl phosphorothioate and2′-deoxy phosphorothioate oligonucleotide segments are synthesized usingan Applied Biosystems automated DNA synthesizer Model 380B, as above.Oligonucleotides are synthesized using the automated synthesizer and2′-deoxy-5′-dimethoxytrityl-3′-O-phosphoramidite for the DNA portion and5′-dimethoxytrityl-2′-O-methyl-3′-O-phosphoramidite for 5′ and 3′ wings.The standard synthesis cycle is modified by increasing the wait stepafter the delivery of tetrazole and base to 600 s repeated four timesfor RNA and twice for 2′-O-methyl. The fully protected oligonucleotideis cleaved from the support and the phosphate group is deprotected in3:1 ammonia/ethanol at room temperature overnight then lyophilized todryness. Treatment in methanolic ammonia for 24 hrs at room temperatureis then done to deprotect all bases and sample was again lyophilized todryness. The pellet is resuspended in 1M TBAF in THF for 24 hrs at roomtemperature to deprotect the 2′ positions. The reaction is then quenchedwith 1M TEAA and the sample is then reduced to ½ volume by rotovacbefore being desalted on a G25 size exclusion column. The oligorecovered is then analyzed spectrophotometrically for yield and forpurity by capillary electrophoresis and by mass spectrometry.

[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl)]-[2′-deoxy]-[2′-O-(Methoxyethyl)] ChimericPhosphorothioate Oligonucleotides

[2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl)]-[2′-deoxy]-[-2′-O-(methoxyethyl)] chimericphosphorothioate oligonucleotides were prepared as per the procedureabove for the 2′-O-methyl chimeric oligonucleotide, with thesubstitution of 2′-O-(methoxyethyl) amidites for the 2′-O-methylamidites.

[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl)Phosphodiester]-[2′-deoxyPhosphorothioate]-[2′-O-(2-Methoxyethyl) Phosphodiester] ChimericOligonucleotides

[2′-O-(2-methoxyethyl phosphodiester]-[2′-deoxyphosphorothioate]-[2′-O-(methoxyethyl) phosphodiester] chimericoligonucleotides are prepared as per the above procedure for the2′-O-methyl chimeric oligonucleotide with the substitution of2′-O-(methoxyethyl) amidites for the 2′-O-methyl amidites, oxidizationwith iodine to generate the phosphodiester internucleotide linkageswithin the wing portions of the chimeric structures and sulfurizationutilizing 3,H-1,2 benzodithiole-3-one 1,1 dioxide (Beaucage Reagent) togenerate the phosphorothioate internucleotide linkages for the centergap.

Other chimeric oligonucleotides, chimeric oligonucleosides and mixedchimeric oligonucleotides/oligonucleosides are synthesized according toU.S. Pat. No. 5,623,065, herein incorporated by reference.

Example 6

Oligonucleotide Isolation

After cleavage from the controlled pore glass column (AppliedBiosystems) and deblocking in concentrated ammonium hydroxide at 55° C.for 18 hours, the oligonucleotides or oligonucleosides are purified byprecipitation twice out of 0.5 M NaCl with 2.5 volumes ethanol.Synthesized oligonucleotides were analyzed by polyacrylamide gelelectrophoresis on denaturing gels and judged to be at least 85% fulllength material. The relative amounts of phosphorothioate andphosphodiester linkages obtained in synthesis were periodically checkedby ³¹P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and for some studiesoligonucleotides were purified by HPLC, as described by Chiang et al.,J. Biol. Chem. 1991, 266, 18162-18171. Results obtained withHPLC-purified material were similar to those obtained with non-HPLCpurified material.

Example 7

Oligonucleotide Synthesis—96 Well Plate Format

Oligonucleotides were synthesized via solid phase P(III) phosphoramiditechemistry on an automated synthesizer capable of assembling 96 sequencessimultaneously in a standard 96 well format. Phosphodiesterinternucleotide linkages were afforded by oxidation with aqueous iodine.Phosphorothioate internucleotide linkages were generated bysulfurization utilizing 3,H-1,2 benzodithiole-3-one 1,1 dioxide(Beaucage Reagent) in anhydrous acetonitrile. Standard base-protectedbeta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites were purchased fromcommercial vendors (e.g. PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif., orPharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.). Non-standard nucleosides are synthesizedas per known literature or patented methods. They are utilized as baseprotected beta-cyanoethyldiisopropyl phosphoramidites.

Oligonucleotides were cleaved from support and deprotected withconcentrated NH₄OH at elevated temperature (55-60° C.) for 12-16 hoursand the released product then dried in vacuo. The dried product was thenre-suspended in sterile water to afford a master plate from which allanalytical and test plate samples are then diluted utilizing roboticpipettors.

Example 8

Oligonucleotide Analysis—96 Well Plate Format

The concentration of oligonucleotide in each well was assessed bydilution of samples and UV absorption spectroscopy. The full-lengthintegrity of the individual products was evaluated by capillaryelectrophoresis (CE) in either the 96 well format (Beckman P/ACE™ MDQ)or, for individually prepared samples, on a commercial CE apparatus(e.g., Beckman P/ACE™ 5000, ABI 270). Base and backbone composition wasconfirmed by mass analysis of the compounds utilizing electrospray-massspectroscopy. All assay test plates were diluted from the master plateusing single and multi-channel robotic pipettors. Plates were judged tobe acceptable if at least 85% of the compounds on the plate were atleast 85% full length.

Example 9

Cell Culture and Oligonucleotide Treatment

The effect of antisense compounds on target nucleic acid expression canbe tested in any of a variety of cell types provided that the targetnucleic acid is present at measurable levels. This can be routinelydetermined using, for example, PCR or Northern blot analysis. Thefollowing 4 cell types are provided for illustrative purposes, but othercell types can be routinely used, provided that the target is expressedin the cell type chosen. This can be readily determined by methodsroutine in the art, for example Northern blot analysis, Ribonucleaseprotection assays, or RT-PCR.

T-24 Cells

The human transitional cell bladder carcinoma cell line T-24 wasobtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas,Va.). T-24 cells were routinely cultured in complete McCoy's 5A basalmedia (Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10%fetal calf serum (Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.),penicillin 100 units per mL, and streptomycin 100 micrograms per mL(Gibco/Life Technologies, Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinelypassaged by trypsinization and dilution when they reached 90%confluence. Cells were seeded into 96-well plates (Falcon-Primaria#3872) at a density of 7000 cells/well for use in RT-PCR analysis.

For Northern blotting or other analysis, cells may be seeded onto 100 mmor other standard tissue culture plates and treated similarly, usingappropriate volumes of medium and oligonucleotide.

A549 cells

The human lung carcinoma cell line A549 was obtained from the AmericanType Culture Collection (ATCC) (Manassas, Va.). A549 cells wereroutinely cultured in DMEM basal media (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.) supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (Gibco/LifeTechnologies, Gaithersburg, Md.), penicillin 100 units per mL, andstreptomycin 100 micrograms per mL (Gibco/Life Technologies,Gaithersburg, Md.). Cells were routinely passaged by trypsinization anddilution when they reached 90% confluence.

NHDF Cells

Human neonatal dermal fibroblast (NHDF) were obtained from the CloneticsCorporation (Walkersville Md.). NHDFs were routinely maintained inFibroblast Growth Medium (Clonetics Corporation, Walkersville Md.)supplemented as recommended by the supplier. Cells were maintained forup to 10 passages as recommended by the supplier.

HEK Cells

Human embryonic keratinocytes (HEK) were obtained from the CloneticsCorporation (Walkersville Md.). HEKs were routinely maintained inKeratinocyte Growth Medium (Clonetics Corporation, Walkersville Md.)formulated as recommended by the supplier. Cells were routinelymaintained for up to 10 passages as recommended by the supplier.

Treatment With Antisense Compounds

When cells reached 80% confluency, they were treated witholigonucleotide. For cells grown in 96-well plates, wells were washedonce with 200 μL OPT1-MEM™-1 reduced-serum medium (Gibco BRL) and thentreated with 130 μL of OPTI-MEM™-1 containing 3.75 μg/mL LIPOFECTIN™(Gibco BRL) and the desired concentration of oligonucleotide. After 4-7hours of treatment, the medium was replaced with fresh medium. Cellswere harvested 16-24 hours after oligonucleotide treatment.

The concentration of oligonucleotide used varies from cell line to cellline. To determine the optimal oligonucleotide concentration for aparticular cell line, the cells are treated with a positive controloligonucleotide at a range of concentrations. For human cells thepositive control oligonucleotide is ISIS 13920, TCCGTCATCGCTCCTCAGGG,SEQ ID NO: 1, a 2′-O-methoxyethyl gapmer (2′-O-methoxyethyls shown inbold) with a phosphorothioate backbone which is targeted to human H-ras.For mouse or rat cells the positive control oligonucleotide is ISIS15770, ATGCATTCTGCCCCCAAGGA, SEQ ID NO: 2, a 2′-O-methoxyethyl gapmer(2′-O-methoxyethyls shown in bold) with a phosphorothioate backbonewhich is targeted to both mouse and rat c-raf. The concentration ofpositive control oligonucleotide that results in 80% inhibition ofc-Ha-ras (for ISIS 13920) or c-raf (for ISIS 15770) mRNA is thenutilized as the screening concentration for new oligonucleotides insubsequent experiments for that cell line. If 80% inhibition is notachieved, the lowest concentration of positive control oligonucleotidethat results in 60% inhibition of H-ras or c-raf mRNA is then utilizedas the oligonucleotide screening concentration in subsequent experimentsfor that cell line. If 60% inhibition is not achieved, that particularcell line is deemed as unsuitable for oligonucleotide transfectionexperiments.

Example 10

Analysis of Oligonucleotide Inhibition of Zinc Finger Protein-217Expression

Antisense modulation of zinc finger protein-217 expression can beassayed in a variety of ways known in the art. For example, zinc fingerprotein-217 mRNA levels can be quantitated by, e.g., Northern blotanalysis, competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or real-time PCR(RT-PCR). Real-time quantitative PCR is presently preferred. RNAanalysis can be performed on total cellular RNA or poly(A)+ mRNA.Methods of RNA isolation are taught in, for example, Ausubel, F.M. etal., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 1, pp. 4.1.1-4.2.9and 4.5.1-4.5.3, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993. Northern blot analysisis routine in the art and is taught in, for example, Ausubel, F. M. etal., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 1, pp. 4.2.1-4.2.9,John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996. Real-time quantitative (PCR) can beconveniently accomplished using the commercially available ABI PRISM™7700 Sequence Detection System, available from PE-Applied Biosystems,Foster City, Calif. and used according to manufacturer's instructions.Prior to quantitative PCR analysis, primer-probe sets specific to thetarget gene being measured are evaluated for their ability to be“multiplexed” with a GAPDH amplification reaction. In multiplexing, boththe target gene and the internal standard gene GAPDH are amplifiedconcurrently in a single sample. In this analysis, mRNA isolated fromuntreated cells is serially diluted. Each dilution is amplified in thepresence of primer-probe sets specific for GAPDH only, target gene only(“single-plexing”), or both (multiplexing). Following PCR amplification,standard curves of GAPDH and target mRNA signal as a function ofdilution are generated from both the single-plexed and multiplexedsamples. If both the slope and correlation coefficient of the GAPDH andtarget signals generated from the multiplexed samples fall within 10% oftheir corresponding values generated from the single-plexed samples, theprimer-probe set specific for that target is deemed as multiplexable.Other methods of PCR are also known in the art.

Protein levels of zinc finger protein-217 can be quantitated in avariety of ways well known in the art, such as immunoprecipitation,Western blot analysis (immunoblotting), ELISA or fluorescence-activatedcell sorting (FACS). Antibodies directed to zinc finger protein-217 canbe identified and obtained from a variety of sources, such as the MSRScatalog of antibodies (Aerie Corporation, Birmingham, Mich.), or can beprepared via conventional antibody generation methods. Methods forpreparation of polyclonal antisera are taught in, for example, Ausubel,F. M. et al., Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 2, pp.11.12.1-11.12.9, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997. Preparation ofmonoclonal antibodies is taught in, for example, Ausubel, F.M. et al.,Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 11.4.1-11.11.5,John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1997.

Immunoprecipitation methods are standard in the art and can be found at,for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 2, pp. 10.16.1-10.16.11, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1998.Western blot (immunoblot) analysis is standard in the art and can befound at, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols inMolecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 10.8.1-10.8.21, John Wiley & Sons,Inc., 1997. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are standard inthe art and can be found at, for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., CurrentProtocols in Molecular Biology, Volume 2, pp. 11.2.1-11.2.22, John Wiley& Sons, Inc., 1991.

Example 11

Poly(A)+ mRNA isolation

Poly(A)+ mRNA was isolated according to Miura et al., Clin. Chem., 1996,42, 1758-1764. Other methods for poly(A)+ mRNA isolation are taught in,for example, Ausubel, F. M. et al., Current Protocols in MolecularBiology, Volume 1, pp. 4.5.1-4.5.3, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1993.Briefly, for cells grown on 96-well plates, growth medium was removedfrom the cells and each well was washed with 200 IIL cold PBS. 60 μLlysis buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.6, 1 mM EDTA, 0.5 M NaCl, 0.5% NP-40,20 mM vanadyl-ribonucleoside complex) was added to each well, the platewas gently agitated and then incubated at room temperature for fiveminutes. 55 μL of lysate was transferred to Oligo d(T) coated 96-wellplates (AGCT Inc., Irvine Calif.). Plates were incubated for 60 minutesat room temperature, washed 3 times with 200 μL of wash buffer (10 mMTris-HCl pH 7.6, 1 mM EDTA, 0.3 M NaCl). After the final wash, the platewas blotted on paper towels to remove excess wash buffer and thenair-dried for 5 minutes. 60 μL of elution buffer (5 mM Tris-HCl pH 7.6),preheated to 70° C. was added to each well, the plate was incubated on a90° C. hot plate for 5 minutes, and the eluate was then transferred to afresh 96-well plate.

Cells grown on 100 mm or other standard plates may be treated similarly,using appropriate volumes of all solutions.

Example 12

Total RNA Isolation

Total mRNA was isolated using an RNEASY ₉₆™ kit and buffers purchasedfrom Qiagen Inc. (Valencia Calif.) following the manufacturer'srecommended procedures. Briefly, for cells grown on 96-well plates,growth medium was removed from the cells and each well was washed with200 μL cold PBS. 100 μL Buffer RLT was added to each well and the platevigorously agitated for 20 seconds. 100 μL of 70% ethanol was then addedto each well and the contents mixed by pipetting three times up anddown. The samples were then transferred to the RNEASY 96™ well plateattached to a QIAVAC™ manifold fitted with a waste collection tray andattached to a vacuum source. Vacuum was applied for 15 seconds. 1 mL ofBuffer RW1 was added to each well of the RNEASY 96™ plate and the vacuumagain applied for 15 seconds. 1 mL of Buffer RPE was then added to eachwell of the RNEASY 96™ plate and the vacuum applied for a period of 15seconds. The Buffer RPE wash was then repeated and the vacuum wasapplied for an additional 10 minutes. The plate was then removed fromthe QIAVAC™ manifold and blotted dry on paper towels. The plate was thenre-attached to the QIAVAC™ manifold fitted with a collection tube rackcontaining 1.2 mL collection tubes. RNA was then eluted by pipetting 60μL water into each well, incubating 1 minute, and then applying thevacuum for 30 seconds. The elution step was repeated with an additional60 μL water.

The repetitive pipetting and elution steps may be automated using aQIAGEN Bio-Robot 9604 (Qiagen, Inc., Valencia Calif.). Essentially,after lysing of the cells on the culture plate, the plate is transferredto the robot deck where the pipetting, DNase treatment and elution stepsare carried out.

Example 13

Real-time Quantitative PCR Analysis of Zinc Finger Protein-217 mRNALevels

Quantitation of zinc finger protein-217 mRNA levels was determined byreal-time quantitative PCR using the ABI PRISM™ 7700 Sequence DetectionSystem (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) according tomanufacturer's instructions. This is a closed-tube, non-gel-based,fluorescence detection system which allows high-throughput quantitationof polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products in real-time. As opposed tostandard PCR, in which amplification products are quantitated after thePCR is completed, products in real-time quantitative PCR are quantitatedas they accumulate. This is accomplished by including in the PCRreaction an oligonucleotide probe that anneals specifically between theforward and reverse PCR primers, and contains two fluorescent dyes. Areporter dye (e.g., JOE, FAM, or VIC, obtained from either OperonTechnologies Inc., Alameda, Calif. or PE-Applied Biosystems, FosterCity, Calif.) is attached to the 5′ end of the probe and a quencher dye(e.g., TAMRA, obtained from either Operon Technologies Inc., Alameda,Calif. or PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is attached to the3′ end of the probe. When the probe and dyes are intact, reporter dyeemission is quenched by the proximity of the 3′ quencher dye. Duringamplification, annealing of the probe to the target sequence creates asubstrate that can be cleaved by the 5′-exonuclease activity of Taqpolymerase. During the extension phase of the PCR amplification cycle,cleavage of the probe by Taq polymerase releases the reporter dye fromthe remainder of the probe (and hence from the quencher moiety) and asequence-specific fluorescent signal is generated. With each cycle,additional reporter dye molecules are cleaved from their respectiveprobes, and the fluorescence intensity is monitored at regular intervalsby laser optics built into the ABI PRISM™ 7700 Sequence DetectionSystem. In each assay, a series of parallel reactions containing serialdilutions of mRNA from untreated control samples generates a standardcurve that is used to quantitate the percent inhibition after antisenseoligonucleotide treatment of test samples.

PCR reagents were obtained from PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif. RT-PCR reactions were carried out by adding 25 μL PCR cocktail(1×TAQMAN™ buffer A, 5.5 mM MgCl₂, 300 μM each of DATP, dCTP and dGTP,600 μM of dUTP, 100 nM each of forward primer, reverse primer, andprobe, 20 Units RNAse inhibitor, 1.25 Units AMPLITAQ GOLD™, and 12.5Units MuLV reverse transcriptase) to 96 well plates containing 25 μLpoly(A) mRNA solution. The RT reaction was carried out by incubation for30 minutes at 48° C. Following a 10 minute incubation at 95° C. toactivate the AMPLITAQ GOLD™, 40 cycles of a two-step PCR protocol werecarried out: 95° C. for 15 seconds (denaturation) followed by 60° C. for1.5 minutes (annealing/extension).

Probes and primers to human zinc finger protein-217 were designed tohybridize to a human zinc finger protein-217 sequence, using publishedsequence information (GenBank accession number AF041259, incorporatedherein as SEQ ID NO:3). For human zinc finger protein-217 the PCRprimers were:

forward primer: GTAGTCCAGCAACGATCAACGA (SEQ ID NO: 4)

reverse primer: GAAGCCACAAACCATGCAGAT (SEQ ID NO: 5) and the

PCR probe was: FAM-ACGCGGCCGAGAGCATCTCCTC-TAMRA (SEQ ID NO: 6)

where FAM (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is thefluorescent reporter dye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif.) is the quencher dye. For human GAPDH the PCR primers were:

forward primer: CAACGGATTTGGTCGTATTGG (SEQ ID NO: 7)

reverse primer: GGCAACAATATCCACTTTACCAGAGT (SEQ ID NO: 8) and

the PCR probe was: 5′ JOE-CGCCTGGTCACCAGGGCTGCT- TAMRA 3′(SEQ ID NO: 9)

where JOE (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City, Calif.) is thefluorescent reporter dye) and TAMRA (PE-Applied Biosystems, Foster City,Calif.) is the quencher dye.

Example 14

Northern Blot Analysis of Zinc Finger Protein-217 mRNA Levels

Eighteen hours after antisense treatment, cell monolayers were washedtwice with cold PBS and lysed in 1 mL RNAZOL™ (TEL-TEST “B” Inc.,Friendswood, Tex.). Total RNA was prepared following manufacturer'srecommended protocols. Twenty micrograms of total RNA was fractionatedby electrophoresis through 1.2% agarose gels containing 1.1%formaldehyde using a MOPS buffer system (AMRESCO, Inc. Solon, Ohio). RNAwas transferred from the gel to HYBOND™-N+ nylon membranes (AmershamPharmacia Biotech, Piscataway, N.J.) by overnight capillary transferusing a Northern/Southern Transfer buffer system (TEL-TEST “B” Inc.,Friendswood, Tex.). RNA transfer was confirmed by UV visualization.Membranes were fixed by UV cross-linking using a STRATALINKER™ UVCrosslinker 2400 (Stratagene, Inc, La Jolla, Calif.) and then robedusing QUICKHYB™ hybridization solution (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.)using manufacturer's recommendations for stringent conditions.

To detect human zinc finger protein-217, a human zinc finger protein-217specific probe was prepared by PCR using the forward primerGTAGTCCAGCAACGATCAACGA (SEQ ID NO: 4) and the reverse primerGAAGCCACAAACCATGCAGAT (SEQ ID NO: 5). To normalize for variations inloading and transfer efficiency membranes were stripped and probed forhuman glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) RNA (Clontech,Palo Alto, Calif.).

Hybridized membranes were visualized and quantitated using aPHOSPHORIMAGER™ and IMAGEQUANT™ Software V3.3 (Molecular Dynamics,Sunnyvale, Calif.). Data was normalized to GAPDH levels in untreatedcontrols.

Example 15

Antisense Inhibition of Human Zinc Finger Protein-217 Expression byChimeric Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides Having 2′-MOE Wings and aDeoxy Gap

In accordance with the present invention, a series of oligonucleotideswere designed to target different regions of the human zinc fingerprotein-217 RNA, using published sequences (GenBank accession numberAF041259, incorporated herein as SEQ ID NO: 3). The oligonucleotides areshown in Table 1. “Target site” indicates the first (5′-most) nucleotidenumber on the particular target sequence to which the oligonucleotidebinds. All compounds in Table 1 are chimeric oligonucleotides(“gapmers”) 20 nucleotides in length, composed of a central “gap” regionconsisting of ten 2′-deoxynucleotides, which is flanked on both sides(5′ and 3′ directions) by five-nucleotide “wings”. The wings arecomposed of 2′-methoxyethyl (2′-MOE)nucleotides. The internucleoside(backbone) linkages are phosphorothioate (P═S) throughout theoligonucleotide. All cytidine residues are 5-methylcytidines. Thecompounds were analyzed for their effect on human zinc fingerprotein-217 mRNA levels by quantitative real-time PCR as described inother examples herein. Data are averages from two experiments. Ifpresent, “N.D.” indicates “no data”.

TABLE 1 Inhibition of human zinc finger protein-217 mRNA levels bychimeric phosphorothioate oligonucleotides having 2′-MOE wings and adeoxy gap TARGET TARGET SEQ ID ISIS # REGION SEQ ID NO SITE SEQUENCE %INHIB NO 114525 5′UTR 3 2 aaagcattagttctctttgt 50 10 114526 5′UTR 3 47ggcatacagggttcccaatg 0 11 114527 5′UTR 3 82 tcagtgatggtgtcactggt 75 12114528 5′UTR 3 117 tatagtcctctaacttcttc 67 13 114529 5′UTR 3 153gagcaaatatttattataaa 26 14 114530 5′UTR 3 203 ttgtaagacttgtcactcac 78 15114531 5′UTR 3 239 tccgttgggcaatttctgga 67 16 114532 Start 3 274ttcctgtcactttcgattgc 61 17 Codon 114533 Coding 3 305atgtacattaagagggattg 0 18 114534 Coding 3 336 aagagagctgccaatcactt 0 19114535 Coding 3 367 acaaggcatcctccatctcc 0 20 114536 Coding 3 400ctcggaatggaacaacagcg 0 21 114537 Coding 3 488 tcttctgaatgtgtgaaggt 79 22114538 Coding 3 520 gccggtgttgcattaagaca 50 23 114539 Coding 3 581ttatcaagcggactgagata 0 24 114540 Coding 3 617 ttcttttccttgggaggttc 0 25114541 Coding 3 655 gcccacatacctcacagcta 0 26 114542 Coding 3 733acatgttacacccgtaagtg 33 27 114543 Coding 3 788 ttatgtgtccgcatgtgatt 8728 114544 Coding 3 842 gctggactactctccaagcc 19 29 114545 Coding 3 880tctcggccgcgtgcacctgg 99 30 114546 Coding 3 952 gctcaattagactttcttta 9 31114547 Coding 3 1007 tctgtctgcgcgctgctggt 59 32 114548 Coding 3 1081ggtgagattttggtctcaag 94 33 114549 Coding 3 1119 ctgagggatgcatctgacag 5034 114550 Coding 3 1158 agccagctgccaagcctgga 0 35 114551 Coding 3 1239ggaactcgaatcgtcgttgt 29 36 114552 Coding 3 1277 gcacaactgcccttatttgt 037 114553 Coding 3 1354 gtaacttgggatccgcgtcc 47 38 114554 Coding 3 1393cgcactcggagcagtgagtg 0 39 114555 Coding 3 1470 ctccgcgccggccctccggt 5740 114556 Coding 3 1565 tcccctcgatccacggctcc 37 41 114557 Coding 3 1673ctacactctcttgaagatgt 71 42 114558 Coding 3 1727 gttctgagatgaatattgag 043 114559 Coding 3 1782 ctgggctgcagcatattcac 73 44 114560 Coding 3 1892aatagtgcatcttcagtgtc 57 45 114561 Coding 3 2018 ctgcccagaacattctgaaa 2246 114562 Coding 3 2058 gaaatcctgagtatctttgt 55 47 114563 Coding 3 2202aggaggagtaacatccgcct 67 48 114564 Coding 3 2240 gggctaacttcaaggttatg 2549 114565 Coding 3 2369 aaacttttactcaaagaaat 26 50 114566 Coding 3 2413aaaatgtcttgaaggtacaa 37 51 114567 Coding 3 2455 atttatgctccagtctctgg 2552 114568 Coding 3 2576 ttgggtttacagaaactaga 38 53 114569 Coding 3 2617atggcagggatttggactgc 49 54 114570 Coding 3 2731 cattctgctgtggtctgtgg 055 114571 Coding 3 2788 tggttttaggaaacatctca 38 56 114572 Coding 3 2904gtagtcgatggaaccattga 57 57 114573 Coding 3 2963 ctccgattacagaaatagtc 058 114574 Coding 3 3029 gcaaccacgctggacttcag 66 59 114575 Coding 3 3114cagtgatgtgatgcctctga 0 60 114576 Coding 3 3156 gggaggcagcgcctgcgacg 3561 114577 Coding 3 3278 gagctggatgctggactacc 46 62 114578 Coding 3 3336ttgtgccatgctgttagata 34 63 114579 3′UTR 3 3473 atgaagtaaaatttaatttc 0 64114580 3′UTR 3 3512 agcttatttcagtagctttc 80 65 114581 3′UTR 3 3549gcagattcctcatatgtttt 69 66 114582 3′UTR 3 3586 gttaacagaacaactttaca 6067 114583 3′UTR 3 3666 ggacaaaatagagatttcca 62 68 114584 3′UTR 3 3740ttcttttcagcagcgctcaa 61 69 114585 3′UTR 3 3892 gaaactgctccaagtgatga 2970 114586 3′UTR 3 3958 aatacaaaatcattgacagt 0 71 114587 3′UTR 3 3999aacaattttaagacaacaat 0 72 114588 3′UTR 3 4039 atatctgcagcacatatcat 12 73114589 3′UTR 3 4080 gttgcgataaaatgctgcca 56 74 114590 3′UTR 3 4120ggcgaggaagaaggtgcctt 12 75 114591 3′UTR 3 4160 ctcagtcaaggatcctggag 4876 114592 3′UTR 3 4258 catacagtttatgtttatac 47 77 114593 3′UTR 3 4298aaaatgattaatttgacaga 0 78 114594 3′UTR 3 4396 actgttccccaatacctgca 23 79114595 3′UTR 3 4454 gatacattaagactaccaaa 0 80 114596 3′UTR 3 4494ataatcaactctagtatgtc 0 81 114597 3′UTR 3 4525 cagcagttccttattcaaaa 57 82114598 3′UTR 3 4556 tttctctttctagactccca 39 83 114599 3′UTR 3 4579ataactgaggtctagaaaca 21 84 114600 3′UTR 3 4649 ttctctaaaacccaaattgc 4185 114601 3′UTR 3 4755 taaaatattttgtggtcact 0 86 114602 3′UTR 3 4875acatcttacgttgcataatt 22 87 114603 3′UTR 3 4933 actgatctcaaatgagttct 2288 114604 3′UTR 3 5441 ctctattatatgtactgttg 6 89

As shown in Table 1, SEQ ID NOs 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 27,28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51,52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 74, 76, 77,79, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, and 88 demonstrated at least 20% inhibition ofhuman zinc finger protein-217 expression in this assay and are thereforepreferred.

Example 16

Western Blot Analysis of Zinc Finger Protein-217 Protein Levels

Western blot analysis (immunoblot analysis) is carried out usingstandard methods. Cells are harvested 16-20 h after oligonucleotidetreatment, washed once with PBS, suspended in Laemmli buffer (100ul/well), boiled for 5 minutes and loaded on a 16% SDS-PAGE gel. Gelsare run for 1.5 hours at 150 V, and transferred to membrane for westernblotting. Appropriate primary antibody directed to zinc fingerprotein-217 is used, with a radiolabelled or fluorescently labeledsecondary antibody directed against the primary antibody species. Bandsare visualized using a PHOSPHORIMAGER™ (Molecular Dynamics, SunnyvaleCalif.).

SEQUENCE LISTING <160> NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 89 <210> SEQ ID NO: 1 <211>LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220>FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: Antisense Oligonucleotide <400>SEQUENCE: 1 tccgtcatcg ctcctcaggg 20 <210> SEQ ID NO: 2 <211> LENGTH: 20<212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223>OTHER INFORMATION: Antisense Oligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 2atgcattctg cccccaagga 20 <210> SEQ ID NO: 3 <211> LENGTH: 5632 <212>TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Homo sapiens <220> FEATURE: <221> NAME/KEY:CDS <222> LOCATION: (272)...(3418) <400> SEQUENCE: 3 gacaaagagaactaatgctt tgtgctgatt catatttgaa tcgaggcatt gggaaccctg 60 tatgccttgtttgtggaaag aaccagtgac accatcactg agcttcctaa aagttcgaag 120 aagttagaggactatacact ttcttttgaa cttttataat aaatatttgc tctggttttt 180 ggaacccagggctgttagag gggtgagtga caagtcttac aagtggcctt attccaactc 240 cagaaattgcccaacggaac tttgagatta t atg caa tcg aaa gtg aca gga 292 Met Gln Ser LysVal Thr Gly 1 5 aac atg cca act caa tcc ctc tta atg tac atg gat ggg ccagaa gtg 340 Asn Met Pro Thr Gln Ser Leu Leu Met Tyr Met Asp Gly Pro GluVal 10 15 20 att ggc agc tct ctt ggc agt ccg atg gag atg gag gat gcc ttgtca 388 Ile Gly Ser Ser Leu Gly Ser Pro Met Glu Met Glu Asp Ala Leu Ser25 30 35 atg aaa ggg acc gct gtt gtt cca ttc cga gct aca caa gaa aaa aat436 Met Lys Gly Thr Ala Val Val Pro Phe Arg Ala Thr Gln Glu Lys Asn 4045 50 55 gtc atc caa atc gag ggg tat atg ccc ttg gat tgc atg ttc tgc agc484 Val Ile Gln Ile Glu Gly Tyr Met Pro Leu Asp Cys Met Phe Cys Ser 6065 70 cag acc ttc aca cat tca gaa gac ctt aat aaa cat gtc tta atg caa532 Gln Thr Phe Thr His Ser Glu Asp Leu Asn Lys His Val Leu Met Gln 7580 85 cac cgg cct acc ctc tgt gaa cca gca gtt ctt cgg gtt gaa gca gag580 His Arg Pro Thr Leu Cys Glu Pro Ala Val Leu Arg Val Glu Ala Glu 9095 100 tat ctc agt ccg ctt gat aaa agt caa gtg cga aca gaa cct ccc aag628 Tyr Leu Ser Pro Leu Asp Lys Ser Gln Val Arg Thr Glu Pro Pro Lys 105110 115 gaa aag aat tgc aag gaa aat gaa ttt agc tgt gag gta tgt ggg cag676 Glu Lys Asn Cys Lys Glu Asn Glu Phe Ser Cys Glu Val Cys Gly Gln 120125 130 135 aca ttt aga gtc gct ttt gat gtt gag atc cac atg aga aca cacaaa 724 Thr Phe Arg Val Ala Phe Asp Val Glu Ile His Met Arg Thr His Lys140 145 150 gat tct ttc act tac ggg tgt aac atg tgc gga aga aga ttc aaggag 772 Asp Ser Phe Thr Tyr Gly Cys Asn Met Cys Gly Arg Arg Phe Lys Glu155 160 165 cct tgg ttt ctt aaa aat cac atg cgg aca cat aat ggc aaa tcgggg 820 Pro Trp Phe Leu Lys Asn His Met Arg Thr His Asn Gly Lys Ser Gly170 175 180 gcc aga agc aaa ctg cag caa ggc ttg gag agt agt cca gca acgatc 868 Ala Arg Ser Lys Leu Gln Gln Gly Leu Glu Ser Ser Pro Ala Thr Ile185 190 195 aac gag gtc gtc cag gtg cac gcg gcc gag agc atc tcc tct ccttac 916 Asn Glu Val Val Gln Val His Ala Ala Glu Ser Ile Ser Ser Pro Tyr200 205 210 215 aaa atc tgc atg gtt tgt ggc ttc cta ttt cca aat aaa gaaagt cta 964 Lys Ile Cys Met Val Cys Gly Phe Leu Phe Pro Asn Lys Glu SerLeu 220 225 230 att gag cac cgc aag gtg cac acc aaa aaa act gct ttc ggtacc agc 1012 Ile Glu His Arg Lys Val His Thr Lys Lys Thr Ala Phe Gly ThrSer 235 240 245 agc gcg cag aca gac tct cca caa gga gga atg ccg tcc tcgagg gag 1060 Ser Ala Gln Thr Asp Ser Pro Gln Gly Gly Met Pro Ser Ser ArgGlu 250 255 260 gac ttc ctg cag ttg ttc aac ttg aga cca aaa tct cac cctgaa acg 1108 Asp Phe Leu Gln Leu Phe Asn Leu Arg Pro Lys Ser His Pro GluThr 265 270 275 ggg aag aag cct gtc aga tgc atc cct cag ctc gat ccg ttcacc acc 1156 Gly Lys Lys Pro Val Arg Cys Ile Pro Gln Leu Asp Pro Phe ThrThr 280 285 290 295 ttc cag gct tgg cag ctg gct acc aaa gga aaa gtt gccatt tgc caa 1204 Phe Gln Ala Trp Gln Leu Ala Thr Lys Gly Lys Val Ala IleCys Gln 300 305 310 gaa gtg aag gaa tcg ggg caa gaa ggg agc acc gac aacgac gat tcg 1252 Glu Val Lys Glu Ser Gly Gln Glu Gly Ser Thr Asp Asn AspAsp Ser 315 320 325 agt tcc gag aag gag ctt gga gaa aca aat aag ggc agttgt gca ggc 1300 Ser Ser Glu Lys Glu Leu Gly Glu Thr Asn Lys Gly Ser CysAla Gly 330 335 340 ctc tcg caa gag aaa gag aag tgc aaa cac tcc cac ggcgaa gcg ccc 1348 Leu Ser Gln Glu Lys Glu Lys Cys Lys His Ser His Gly GluAla Pro 345 350 355 tcc gtg gac gcg gat ccc aag tta ccc agt agc aag gagaag ccc act 1396 Ser Val Asp Ala Asp Pro Lys Leu Pro Ser Ser Lys Glu LysPro Thr 360 365 370 375 cac tgc tcc gag tgc ggc aaa gct ttc aga acc taccac cag ctg gtc 1444 His Cys Ser Glu Cys Gly Lys Ala Phe Arg Thr Tyr HisGln Leu Val 380 385 390 ttg cac tcc agg gtc cac aag aag gac cgg agg gccggc gcg gag tcg 1492 Leu His Ser Arg Val His Lys Lys Asp Arg Arg Ala GlyAla Glu Ser 395 400 405 ccc acc atg tct gtg gac ggg agg cag ccg ggg acgtgt tct cct gac 1540 Pro Thr Met Ser Val Asp Gly Arg Gln Pro Gly Thr CysSer Pro Asp 410 415 420 ctc gcc gcc cct ctg gat gaa aat gga gcc gtg gatcga ggg gaa ggt 1588 Leu Ala Ala Pro Leu Asp Glu Asn Gly Ala Val Asp ArgGly Glu Gly 425 430 435 ggt tct gaa gac gga tct gag gat ggg ctt ccc gaagga atc cat ctg 1636 Gly Ser Glu Asp Gly Ser Glu Asp Gly Leu Pro Glu GlyIle His Leu 440 445 450 455 gat aaa aat gat gat gga gga aaa ata aaa catctt aca tct tca aga 1684 Asp Lys Asn Asp Asp Gly Gly Lys Ile Lys His LeuThr Ser Ser Arg 460 465 470 gag tgt agt tat tgt gga aag ttt ttc cgt tcaaat tat tac ctc aat 1732 Glu Cys Ser Tyr Cys Gly Lys Phe Phe Arg Ser AsnTyr Tyr Leu Asn 475 480 485 att cat ctc aga acg cat aca ggt gaa aaa ccatac aaa tgt gaa ttt 1780 Ile His Leu Arg Thr His Thr Gly Glu Lys Pro TyrLys Cys Glu Phe 490 495 500 tgt gaa tat gct gca gcc cag aag aca tct ctgagg tat cac ttg gag 1828 Cys Glu Tyr Ala Ala Ala Gln Lys Thr Ser Leu ArgTyr His Leu Glu 505 510 515 aga cat cac aag gaa aaa caa acc gat gtt gctgct gaa gtc aag aac 1876 Arg His His Lys Glu Lys Gln Thr Asp Val Ala AlaGlu Val Lys Asn 520 525 530 535 gat ggt aaa aat cag gac act gaa gat gcacta tta acc gct gac agt 1924 Asp Gly Lys Asn Gln Asp Thr Glu Asp Ala LeuLeu Thr Ala Asp Ser 540 545 550 gcg caa acc aaa aat ttg aaa aga ttt tttgat ggt gcc aaa gat gtt 1972 Ala Gln Thr Lys Asn Leu Lys Arg Phe Phe AspGly Ala Lys Asp Val 555 560 565 aca ggc agt cca cct gca aag cag ctt aaggag atg cct tct gtt ttt 2020 Thr Gly Ser Pro Pro Ala Lys Gln Leu Lys GluMet Pro Ser Val Phe 570 575 580 cag aat gtt ctg ggc agc gct gtc ctc tcacca gca cac aaa gat act 2068 Gln Asn Val Leu Gly Ser Ala Val Leu Ser ProAla His Lys Asp Thr 585 590 595 cag gat ttc cat aaa aat gca gct gat gacagt gct gat aaa gtg aat 2116 Gln Asp Phe His Lys Asn Ala Ala Asp Asp SerAla Asp Lys Val Asn 600 605 610 615 aaa aac cct acc cct gct tac ctg gacctg tta aaa aag aga tca gca 2164 Lys Asn Pro Thr Pro Ala Tyr Leu Asp LeuLeu Lys Lys Arg Ser Ala 620 625 630 gtt gaa act cag gca aat aac ctc atctgt aga acc aag gcg gat gtt 2212 Val Glu Thr Gln Ala Asn Asn Leu Ile CysArg Thr Lys Ala Asp Val 635 640 645 act cct cct ccg gat ggc agt acc acccat aac ctt gaa gtt agc ccc 2260 Thr Pro Pro Pro Asp Gly Ser Thr Thr HisAsn Leu Glu Val Ser Pro 650 655 660 aaa gag aag caa acg gag acc gca gctgac tgc aga tac agg cca agt 2308 Lys Glu Lys Gln Thr Glu Thr Ala Ala AspCys Arg Tyr Arg Pro Ser 665 670 675 gtg gat tgt cac gaa aaa cct tta aattta tcc gtg ggg gct ctt cac 2356 Val Asp Cys His Glu Lys Pro Leu Asn LeuSer Val Gly Ala Leu His 680 685 690 695 aat tgc ccg gca att tct ttg agtaaa agt ttg att cca agt atc acc 2404 Asn Cys Pro Ala Ile Ser Leu Ser LysSer Leu Ile Pro Ser Ile Thr 700 705 710 tgt cca ttt tgt acc ttc aag acattt tat cca gaa gtt tta atg atg 2452 Cys Pro Phe Cys Thr Phe Lys Thr PheTyr Pro Glu Val Leu Met Met 715 720 725 cac cag aga ctg gag cat aaa tacaat cct gac gtt cat aaa aac tgt 2500 His Gln Arg Leu Glu His Lys Tyr AsnPro Asp Val His Lys Asn Cys 730 735 740 cga aac aag tcc ttg ctt aga agtcga cgt acc gga tgc ccg cca gcg 2548 Arg Asn Lys Ser Leu Leu Arg Ser ArgArg Thr Gly Cys Pro Pro Ala 745 750 755 ttg ctg gga aaa gat gtg cct cccctc tct agt ttc tgt aaa ccc aag 2596 Leu Leu Gly Lys Asp Val Pro Pro LeuSer Ser Phe Cys Lys Pro Lys 760 765 770 775 ccc aag tct gct ttc ccg gcgcag tcc aaa tcc ctg cca tct gcg aag 2644 Pro Lys Ser Ala Phe Pro Ala GlnSer Lys Ser Leu Pro Ser Ala Lys 780 785 790 ggg aag cag agc cct cct gggcca ggc aag gcc cct ctg act tca ggg 2692 Gly Lys Gln Ser Pro Pro Gly ProGly Lys Ala Pro Leu Thr Ser Gly 795 800 805 ata gac tct agc act tta gcccca agt aac ctg aag tcc cac aga cca 2740 Ile Asp Ser Ser Thr Leu Ala ProSer Asn Leu Lys Ser His Arg Pro 810 815 820 cag cag aat gtg ggg gtc caaggg gcc gcc acc agg caa cag caa tct 2788 Gln Gln Asn Val Gly Val Gln GlyAla Ala Thr Arg Gln Gln Gln Ser 825 830 835 gag atg ttt cct aaa acc agtgtt tcc cct gca ccg gat aag aca aaa 2836 Glu Met Phe Pro Lys Thr Ser ValSer Pro Ala Pro Asp Lys Thr Lys 840 845 850 855 aga ccc gag aca aaa ttgaaa cct ctt cca gta gct cct tct cag ccc 2884 Arg Pro Glu Thr Lys Leu LysPro Leu Pro Val Ala Pro Ser Gln Pro 860 865 870 acc ctc ggc agc agt aacatc aat ggt tcc atc gac tac ccc gcc aag 2932 Thr Leu Gly Ser Ser Asn IleAsn Gly Ser Ile Asp Tyr Pro Ala Lys 875 880 885 aac gac agc ccg tgg gcacct ccg gga aga gac tat ttc tgt aat cgg 2980 Asn Asp Ser Pro Trp Ala ProPro Gly Arg Asp Tyr Phe Cys Asn Arg 890 895 900 agt gcc agc aat act gcagca gaa ttt ggt gag ccc ctt cca aaa aga 3028 Ser Ala Ser Asn Thr Ala AlaGlu Phe Gly Glu Pro Leu Pro Lys Arg 905 910 915 ctg aag tcc agc gtg gttgcc ctt gac gtt gac cag ccc ggg gcc aat 3076 Leu Lys Ser Ser Val Val AlaLeu Asp Val Asp Gln Pro Gly Ala Asn 920 925 930 935 tac aga aga ggc tatgac ctt ccc aag tac cat atg gtc aga ggc atc 3124 Tyr Arg Arg Gly Tyr AspLeu Pro Lys Tyr His Met Val Arg Gly Ile 940 945 950 aca tca ctg tta ccgcag gac tgt gtg tat ccg tcg cag gcg ctg cct 3172 Thr Ser Leu Leu Pro GlnAsp Cys Val Tyr Pro Ser Gln Ala Leu Pro 955 960 965 ccc aaa cca agg ttcctg agc tcc agc gag gtc gat tct cca aat gtg 3220 Pro Lys Pro Arg Phe LeuSer Ser Ser Glu Val Asp Ser Pro Asn Val 970 975 980 ctg act gtt cag aagccc tat ggt ggc tcc ggg cca ctt tac act tgt 3268 Leu Thr Val Gln Lys ProTyr Gly Gly Ser Gly Pro Leu Tyr Thr Cys 985 990 995 gtg cct gct ggt agtcca gca tcc agc tcg acg tta gaa gga aaa agg 3316 Val Pro Ala Gly Ser ProAla Ser Ser Ser Thr Leu Glu Gly Lys Arg 1000 1005 1010 1015 cct gtg tcatat caa cac tta tct aac agc atg gca caa aag aga aac 3364 Pro Val Ser TyrGln His Leu Ser Asn Ser Met Ala Gln Lys Arg Asn 1020 1025 1030 tat gagaat ttt att ggg aat gca cat tat cga cca aat gac aaa aaa 3412 Tyr Glu AsnPhe Ile Gly Asn Ala His Tyr Arg Pro Asn Asp Lys Lys 1035 1040 1045 acttga ttcactaatt agggggaaaa aaggtcttgg tggatgtcag tgcttactcc 3468 Thrccatgaaatt aaattttact tcatcctttg agaagcgaat ggtgaaagct actgaaataa 3528gctgtgattg tactgtacat aaaacatatg aggaatctgc aaggaacact acagttgtgt 3588aaagttgttc tgttaacttt tgtaccaaat agcaatacaa actagttgga acagttggaa 3648cttacataca tggggactgg aaatctctat tttgtccctg aataatattt ttcttagaat 3708tgaccaaata agaagtggaa tttttgcata cttgagcgct gctgaaaaga aatcatttgg 3768gttgggtggg gcgggatggg ggaaaagtat ataatgcttg cacctcaggt aaaaatctgt 3828aaatatctaa gttgtaaacc tgcttgttca aatactgtgt gtattccttt tctctaatgc 3888agctcatcac ttggagcagt ttctgctatt gtgctctttc atttaaaatg tatgtttttt 3948tttttttaaa ctgtcaatga ttttgtatta tgttgaatcc acccaaatct attgttgtct 4008taaaattgtt aatggaagta ttgaccctct atgatatgtg ctgcagatat cgaggtcagc 4068cattcggaag ctggcagcat tttatcgcaa ctttgagcat ctcagatggg gaaggcacct 4128tcttcctcgc ctctccagat tgtcctggaa cctccaggat ccttgactga gggcgttggg 4188atggcttgta ggatttttaa gagagtgtgt ctacagacaa gcattttctc tgtagagcag 4248ccacacgttg tataaacata aactgtatgt gcagttattt aaatttgttt ctgtcaaatt 4308aatcattttt gttggacgat tcagtggcgg gggggttttg cctaaattag tatataaaaa 4368caaaaatgct aaattatatc tgtgaattgc aggtattggg gaacagtttt aagggaaatt 4428ttggggggaa cattttaggt ttgtatttgg tagtcttaat gtatctggca tttgggtgaa 4488ctgtggacat actagagttg attatagaca cattgatttt gaataaggaa ctgctggccg 4548agcccgctgg gagtctagaa agagaaaatc tgtttctaga cctcagttat tttcccattt 4608ttggttgttt tgaagcagta acatttttct cagtgcacat gcaatttggg ttttagagaa 4668gatggccacc agctggcttc ctagatattt taaacttttg ttctttaata tgctgtccat 4728ggctgagttt attagtacat gggcttagtg accacaaaat attttattaa gaaactgttt 4788caaaaataaa tttgcactgt tcatttttct ggcctcgctg ttctccatag agcaagggta 4848atcctagaaa aaattttttt tttttaaatt atgcaacgta agatgtcctc cttgatagaa 4908gtcttagctc ctgtgttaca agggagaact catttgagat cagtctgttg gcattgcaat 4968gaagtgcttt gtatcaggaa agtgtacact attgaccttt tttcctgttc acaagctgag 5028ccatatgtac ataatctaga ttttgttttc atagttttgc acttttatag cctatttttg 5088aagattaaca catttgcaag atgattgact caatctttgc ctaatccaat gagtgttaca 5148gagagcttgc tgtgactaga accataaatc ttaaaggggg tatgtgataa tagagggctg 5208gaatttaaac ctgtatttaa aaaaaagaat caccaaatct atttgaaaac aagtcgattt 5268gtattatgct ggaatttttt gggctttcag atttctcttt ttaaccacat ttctgaatgt 5328ataaaaatac caattatttt cctacagccc tttgtacttc aaaatatgtt tttgtgtcca 5388tcagtattaa ctattggtat actactggtt ttatattttt ttttctttga gacaacagta 5448catataatag aggtacaatt cgttggattt ttgtttatgt atttatttca ttccagtttg 5508atttatttta attgttgata cttaagttgt caaacagtag acattacgtg ttttatttat 5568gatatatttc agcttaaagt tatgttatta tatgtggaag tgtaaatata gatttggtgt 5628tttg 5632 <210> SEQ ID NO: 4 <211> LENGTH: 22 <212> TYPE: DNA <213>ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION:PCR Primer <400> SEQUENCE: 4 gtagtccagc aacgatcaac ga 22 <210> SEQ IDNO: 5 <211> LENGTH: 21 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: PCR Primer <400>SEQUENCE: 5 gaagccacaa accatgcaga t 21 <210> SEQ ID NO: 6 <211> LENGTH:22 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE:<223> OTHER INFORMATION: PCR Probe <400> SEQUENCE: 6 acgcggccgagagcatctcc tc 22 <210> SEQ ID NO: 7 <211> LENGTH: 21 <212> TYPE: DNA<213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHERINFORMATION: PCR Primer <400> SEQUENCE: 7 caacggattt ggtcgtattg g 21<210> SEQ ID NO: 8 <211> LENGTH: 26 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM:Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: PCR Primer<400> SEQUENCE: 8 ggcaacaata tccactttac cagagt 26 <210> SEQ ID NO: 9<211> LENGTH: 21 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence<220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: PCR Probe <400> SEQUENCE: 9cgcctggtca ccagggctgc t 21 <210> SEQ ID NO: 10 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212>TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHERINFORMATION: Antisense Oligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 10 aaagcattagttctctttgt 20 <210> SEQ ID NO: 11 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213>ORGANISM: Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION:Antisense Oligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 11 ggcatacagg gttcccaatg 20<210> SEQ ID NO: 12 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM:Artificial Sequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 12 tcagtgatgg tgtcactggt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 13 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 13 tatagtcctc taacttcttc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 14 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 14 gagcaaatat ttattataaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 15 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 15 ttgtaagact tgtcactcac 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 16 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 16 tccgttgggc aatttctgga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 17 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 17 ttcctgtcac tttcgattgc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 18 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 18 atgtacatta agagggattg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 19 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 19 aagagagctg ccaatcactt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 20 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 20 acaaggcatc ctccatctcc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 21 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 21 ctcggaatgg aacaacagcg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 22 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 22 tcttctgaat gtgtgaaggt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 23 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 23 gccggtgttg cattaagaca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 24 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 24 ttatcaagcg gactgagata 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 25 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 25 ttcttttcct tgggaggttc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 26 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 26 gcccacatac ctcacagcta 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 27 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 27 acatgttaca cccgtaagtg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 28 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 28 ttatgtgtcc gcatgtgatt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 29 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 29 gctggactac tctccaagcc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 30 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 30 tctcggccgc gtgcacctgg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 31 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 31 gctcaattag actttcttta 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 32 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 32 tctgtctgcg cgctgctggt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 33 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 33 ggtgagattt tggtctcaag 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 34 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 34 ctgagggatg catctgacag 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 35 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 35 agccagctgc caagcctgga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 36 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 36 ggaactcgaa tcgtcgttgt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 37 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 37 gcacaactgc ccttatttgt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 38 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 38 gtaacttggg atccgcgtcc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 39 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 39 cgcactcgga gcagtgagtg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 40 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 40 ctccgcgccg gccctccggt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 41 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 41 tcccctcgat ccacggctcc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 42 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 42 ctacactctc ttgaagatgt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 43 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 43 gttctgagat gaatattgag 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 44 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 44 ctgggctgca gcatattcac 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 45 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 45 aatagtgcat cttcagtgtc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 46 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 46 ctgcccagaa cattctgaaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 47 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 47 gaaatcctga gtatctttgt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 48 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 48 aggaggagta acatccgcct 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 49 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 49 gggctaactt caaggttatg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 50 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 50 aaacttttac tcaaagaaat 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 51 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 51 aaaatgtctt gaaggtacaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 52 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 52 atttatgctc cagtctctgg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 53 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 53 ttgggtttac agaaactaga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 54 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 54 atggcaggga tttggactgc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 55 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 55 cattctgctg tggtctgtgg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 56 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 56 tggttttagg aaacatctca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 57 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 57 gtagtcgatg gaaccattga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 58 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 58 ctccgattac agaaatagtc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 59 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 59 gcaaccacgc tggacttcag 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 60 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 60 cagtgatgtg atgcctctga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 61 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 61 gggaggcagc gcctgcgacg 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 62 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 62 gagctggatg ctggactacc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 63 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 63 ttgtgccatg ctgttagata 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 64 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 64 atgaagtaaa atttaatttc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 65 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 65 agcttatttc agtagctttc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 66 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 66 gcagattcct catatgtttt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 67 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 67 gttaacagaa caactttaca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 68 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 68 ggacaaaata gagatttcca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 69 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 69 ttcttttcag cagcgctcaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 70 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 70 gaaactgctc caagtgatga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 71 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 71 aatacaaaat cattgacagt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 72 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 72 aacaatttta agacaacaat 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 73 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 73 atatctgcag cacatatcat 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 74 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 74 gttgcgataa aatgctgcca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 75 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 75 ggcgaggaag aaggtgcctt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 76 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 76 ctcagtcaag gatcctggag 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 77 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 77 catacagttt atgtttatac 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 78 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 78 aaaatgatta atttgacaga 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 79 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 79 actgttcccc aatacctgca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 80 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 80 gatacattaa gactaccaaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 81 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 81 ataatcaact ctagtatgtc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 82 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 82 cagcagttcc ttattcaaaa 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 83 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 83 tttctctttc tagactccca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 84 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 84 ataactgagg tctagaaaca 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 85 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 85 ttctctaaaa cccaaattgc 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 86 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 86 taaaatattt tgtggtcact 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 87 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 87 acatcttacg ttgcataatt 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 88 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 88 actgatctca aatgagttct 20 <210> SEQ IDNO: 89 <211> LENGTH: 20 <212> TYPE: DNA <213> ORGANISM: ArtificialSequence <220> FEATURE: <223> OTHER INFORMATION: AntisenseOligonucleotide <400> SEQUENCE: 89 ctctattata tgtactgttg 20

What is claimed is:
 1. An antisense compound up to 30 nucleobases inlength comprising at least an 8-nucleobase portion of SEQ ID NO: 10, 12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 23, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36, 38, 40, 41, 42,44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 65,66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 74, 76, 77, 79, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87 or 88 whichinhibits the expression of human zinc finger protein-217.
 2. Theantisense compound of claim 1 which is an antisense oligonucleotide. 3.The antisense compound of claim 2 wherein the antisense oligonucleotidecomprises at least one modified internucleoside linkage.
 4. Theantisense compound of claim 3 wherein the modified internucleosidelinkage is a phosphorothioate linkage.
 5. The antisense compound ofclaim 2 wherein the antisense oligonucleotide comprises at least onemodified sugar moiety.
 6. The antisense compound of claim 5 wherein themodified sugar moiety is a 2′-O-methoxyethyl sugar moiety.
 7. Theantisense compound of claim 2 wherein the antisense oligonucleotidecomprises at least one modified nucleobase.
 8. The antisense compound ofclaim 7 wherein the modified nucleobase is a 5-methylcytosine.
 9. Theantisense compound of claim 2 wherein the antisense oligonucleotide is achimeric oligonucleotide.
 10. A method of inhibiting the expression ofhuman zinc finger protein-217 in human cells or tissues comprisingcontacting said cells or tissues in vitro with the antisense compound ofclaim 1 so that expression of human zinc finger protein-217 isinhibited.
 11. A composition comprising the antisense compound of claim1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.
 12. Thecomposition of claim 11 further comprising a colloidal dispersionsystem.
 13. The composition of claim 11 wherein the antisense compoundis an antisense oligonucleotide.